Overview
- Major city markets have announced schedules and programs, including Berlin’s Alexanderplatz (Nov. 24–Dec. 26), Rotes Rathaus (Nov. 24–Dec. 30), Humboldt Forum (Nov. 19–Jan. 4), Spandau (Nov. 24–Dec. 23), Alt-Rixdorf (Dec. 5–7), Domäne Dahlem (Advent weekends) and the Niederschöneweide fair (Nov. 7–Dec. 28).
- Overath in NRW cancelled its market after the organizer cited about €17,500 spent on security over 18 months, no municipal funding and a 2018 Berlin court ruling they say classifies event security as a public duty.
- Kerpen will open a smaller “Genussmarkt im Advent” from Nov. 28 on a reduced footprint to meet lighter requirements after saying full Christmas-market security costs were unaffordable without city support.
- Rostock’s historic IGA Park market has been called off again for 2025, and Hamburg-Rahlstedt’s “Winterterrassen” closes permanently due to weak attendance and low vendor income.
- National outlets note Germany hosts roughly 2,000–2,500 markets each year and report that recent cancellations are localized rather than evidence of a broad shutdown.