Autumn Years Fall 2024

BEST BETS

Ready to Start Your Holiday Shopping? Why Not Plan to Visit These Holiday Markets S ome history books say that “Hoiday Markets” started in Vienna in 1296; others trace these markets back to the Snowport’s mascot, a giant pink Yeti named Betty. Other activities

include outdoor iceless curling, holiday tree and menorah light ings and craft workshops for both children and adults (e.g., making a snow globe, decorating a wreath). The Washington D.C. Down town Holiday Market (November 15 – December 23) is located across two blocks of F Street between 7th and 9th Streets in front of the

Holy Roman Empire where they became a popular custom during the Reformation era. Wherever and whenever this tradi tion originated, it is now a fixture across the globe, one that continues to serve the same purpose it did back in the Middle Ages—create a joyful place where visitors can shop, eat sweets, enjoy live music and celebrate the holiday season amid twin kling lights and colorful decorations. Yes, there are holiday markets across Europe and throughout the United States, but why not focus on ones that are acces sible by car and would make a pleasurable long weekend getaway. The following fit this description. The Holiday Market at Snowport, Boston (November 8-December 29) , features 120+ vendors and festive décor that includes a 10-foot mistletoe archway and a 25-foot-long chalkboard to record the hopes and dreams of visitors. There is even a picture-taking opportunity with No time to travel? Then be sure to visit all four of New York City’s winter wonderlands only miles away. Here are their dates and locations:

Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, both housed in the same building that is free-to-enter. The market is opened daily and hosts over 75 artists, crafters and small businesses. It also includes musical performances by an array of blues, rock, jazz, soul, country and contemporary artists. Christmas Village in Baltimore (November 23-December 24) combines an outdoor and indoor holiday festival at West Shore Park at the Inner Harbor. It is modeled after the traditional Christ mas markets in Germany, like the famous Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, with vendors’ wooden booths offering tradi tional European food (think of waffles, gingerbread, bratwurst), and interna tional and local vendors showcasing hand made holiday gifts, ornaments, jewelry and a large array of arts and crafts. Philadelphia’s German Christmas Market (November 23-December 24) transforms Love Park into a festive village with over 80 wooden booths, offering holiday gifts, home-made foods and daily live performances by local bands and dance groups. A popular offering of the market is a tent housing Käthe Wohlfahrt (Germany’s premier Christmas retailer lo cated in Nuremberg) that features popu lar gifts from Germany, including glass ornaments, music boxes, nutcrackers and

schwibbogen (German candle arches). Colonial Williamsburg Christmas Market (November 29-December 22) is adjacent to Bicentennial Park at the corner of Nassau Street and Newport Avenue, behind the Art Museums of Colo nial Williamsburg (a worthwhile place to visit while in the city). The market brings together local, national and international vendors, and visitors can say hi to Santa and enjoy live performances from the market stage and roaming entertainers. A food court sells delicacies from local res taurants including crepes, brats, soup, hot chocolate and warm glühwein, a popular German mulled wine. Quebec City German Christmas Market (November 21-December 23) is filled with cobblestone streets and centuries-old architecture, including the Château Fron tenac, the historic hotel, opened in 1893, that sits high on a hill overlooking just about every corner of the marketplace. This distinctive location is as close as one can get to experiencing an old-style Eu ropean holiday market. Spread over five sites, each vendor offers something differ ent —beautiful arts and crafts, handmade jewelry, locally-made clothing and more. There is also traditional European cuisine and, of course, everyone lines up for their fresh Brezel (German pretzel).

• October 27 through January 2 Shops at Bryant Park, 42nd Street between 5th Avenue and Avenue of the Americas • November 13 through December 24 Grand Central Holiday Fair, 89 East 42nd Street • November 16 through December 24 Union Square Holiday Market, University Place and East 14th Street • November 28 through December 31 Columbus Circle Holiday Market, 59th Street and Central Park West

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AUTUMN YEARS I FALL 2024