Overview
- Bayreuth’s long‑running Winterdorf opened on October 15 and runs daily through December 31, with organizers citing around 120,000 visitors each year.
- Essen’s International Christmas Market is set for November 14–December 23 with roughly 170–180 stalls, the WDR 2 Weihnachtswunder on December 13–17, and a continued focus on green power and reusable systems after a sustainability award.
- Bochum’s market (November 20–December 23) returns stalls to the renovated Husemannplatz on a limited basis and brings back the ‘fliegender Weihnachtsmann’ high‑wire show daily at 17:00 and 19:00.
- Dortmund’s market (November 20–December 30) plans more decoration for its 45‑meter tree after last year’s criticism, and organizers say glühwein will remain at last year’s price level.
- NRW’s calendar is now largely set, including an early start in Essen‑Steele on November 2 (about 100 booths and a planned Nikolaus helicopter visit on December 6) and openings in Duisburg (November 13), Essen city center and Oberhausen (November 14), Cologne (November 17), Bochum/Dortmund/Düsseldorf (November 20) and Münster (November 24).