Overview
- The 49th Steeler Weihnachtsmarkt in Essen runs from Nov. 2, 2025 to Jan. 4, 2026, making it the first market to open in North Rhine-Westphalia this season.
- Duisburg’s Winterdorf on Königstraße is scheduled to open on Nov. 13 with around 100 decorated stalls and a popular ice rink.
- From Nov. 14, major venues follow: Essen’s International Christmas Market with about 170 stands, Cologne’s Harbor Christmas Market, and the large market at Oberhausen’s Westfield Centro.
- Steele’s program features a stage at Kaiser‑Otto‑Platz and a planned visit by Nikolaus on Dec. 6, with full performer lineups yet to be announced.
- A free excursion magazine lists 22 NRW markets, and two markets in the state have been named among EECMA’s top twelve in Europe.