FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Karen Beasley, Vice President of Marketing & Communications
Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
PHONE: 256.350.3500 / 800.648.5381
EMAIL: karen@northalabama.org
Cullman Christkindlmarkt, Alabama’s 2026 Event of the Year, Returns November 19
Decatur, Ala. (November 6, 2026) – The holiday spirit is set to arrive in Cullman beginning November 19, as the Cullman Christkindlmarkt returns as the Alabama Tourism Department’s 2026 Event of the Year, bringing seasonal cheer, old-world charm and delightful holiday traditions for everyone to enjoy. Inspired by the centuries-old German Christmas markets, the five-week long event blends traditional German-style holiday festivities with Southern hospitality to create a family-friendly celebration.
Where German tradition meets southern charm, the Cullman Christkindlmarkt features an assortment of German-themed events and attractions including the tallest Weihnachtspyramide (Christmas pyramid) in North America, standing over 40 feet tall, carousel rides, German food and popular holiday traditions such as ice skating, a Christmas parade and ceremonial lighting of a massive tree, plus so much more. Last year, the Cullman Christkindlmarkt welcomed more than 415,000 guests, making it one of the largest festivals in the state of Alabama.
This year, the Market arrives with a fresh round of honors. Along with being named the Alabama Tourism Department’s 2026 Event of the Year, Cullman has been selected as an Official Hallmark Christmas Town 2026, and the Market was named one of Travel + Leisure’s 10 Coolest Christmas Markets in the U.S. for 2026. Guests can also return to the Schwibbogen, the candle arch unveiled last season and inspired by Dresden’s famed Striezelmarkt arch. At 47 feet 5 inches wide and 20 feet 4 inches tall, it is the world’s largest walk-on Christmas arch. Additional highlights of the Cullman Christkindlmarkt include:
- Christmas Pyramid Lighting and Grand Opening (Thursday, Nov. 19, 6:00 p.m.)
- Christkindlmarkt Parade (Friday, Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m.)
- South's largest tree lighting show with Host James Spann, followed by a drone show, plus special musical guest (TBA), Santa Claus, The Grinch and Buddy the Elf (Nov. 20, 8:00 p.m.)
- Ice skating in the largest outdoor ice rink in Alabama
- Christkindl Express (enchanting little train ride)
- Kinderplatz (Santa’s Village full of activities for children, with free photos with Santa)
- 108-foot Ferris wheel
- Live artisan demonstrations by a world-record-holding glassblower and a Ukrainian blacksmith
- Venetian-style double-decker carousel
- Winterbahn (alpine tubing)
- Old-fashioned, German-style Christmas street market with nearly 80 vendors, including artists, craftspersons and other makers of gift-type goods
- Käthe Wohlfahrt, Germany’s famed Christmas store, at its first Alabama location inside Festhalle Market Platz
- Life-sized Advent calendar, with a new door revealed every market day
- Authentic German flavors, from traditional sausages to sweet chimney cakes
- The new Cullman Christkindlmarkt app, with a market map and updates, launching this season
The Cullman Christkindlmarkt takes place from November 19 to December 23, 2026, every Thursday through Sunday at Depot Park located at 107 Arnold St NW in downtown Cullman. Hours are Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 - 8:00 p.m. Beginning December 10, 2026, the festival is open seven days a week, with Monday through Wednesday hours of 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. The Market is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26. Admission and parking are free.
For more information on the Cullman Christkindlmarkt including a schedule of events, visit https://www.cullmanchristkindlmarkt.com/ or call 256.734.9157.
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About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA)
AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the $4.9 billion North Alabama travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consisting of chambers of commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, golf courses, restaurants, accommodations and vendors. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available by calling 800.648.5381, by visiting www.NorthAlabama.org and by following us on social media @VisitNorthAL.
