Outdoor and Indoor Markets Bring the Magic
The magic of the holiday season is upon us! As stressful as it sometimes seems with school concerts, family gatherings and all of the obligations that pop up during this season, it’s also the quintessential time to reflect on the past year—not to mention find joy in holiday music, shopping and treats.
Area markets have all three—and more.
From local vendors to those around the state, indoor and outdoor markets are shining this November and December. Check the weather and dress warmly if necessary, and add the following markets to your calendar to listen and sing along to favorite holiday songs, eat specialty food and perhaps even catch a glimpse and a photo with Santa.
Outdoor event! Christkindlmarket On Broadway, Green Bay
November 19 through December 19: Thursdays from 3-8 p.m.; Fridays from 3-9 p.m.; and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (excluding Thanksgiving Day).
Entering its fifth year this fall, the Christkindlmarket On Broadway in Green Bay describes itself as a “German-style holiday street market” that offers a festive and unique gift-buying experience in the heart of downtown. With over 60 vendors each week, guests can experience a bit of everything.
“Shop your holiday gift list from local artisans offering handmade, one-of-a-kind items and sip on a festive beverage while you take in the holiday lights and music,” Mary Rhode, Vice President of Marketing & Communications for On Broadway, Inc,, says. “Every year, we look for ways to refine and elevate our market experience. We consistently work to improve our overall event, expand our food, beverage and workshop offerings, and handpick vendors that best align with our vision. Since our inaugural year, we’ve introduced more interactive programming to encourage longer visits and added heated indoor spaces so guests can comfortably escape the winter cold.
“We know that so many choose to shop local around the holiday season and the Broadway District offers plenty of wonderful, locally-owned shops and restaurants to support. Having the Christkindlmarket on Broadway located in the heart of the district offers the opportunity for visitors to enjoy a downtown holiday experience while also checking out shops and restaurants they may have not been to before.”
What to expect this year: “This year’s Christkindlmarket on Broadway experience will offer an expanded German-style food menu, specialized programming including some returning favorites and an opportunity for the community’s youngest business owners their chance to showcase their handmade items with Mini Boss on Broadway presented by Capital Credit Union!” Rhode explains. “Igloos will also be returning for 2026, offering a unique experience for groups of 4-6, to enjoy the ambience of the Christkindlmarket on Broadway while enjoying a selection of add-on food and beverage options.”
An array of vendors: Wood crafts, homemade candles, holiday ornaments, sourdough, alpaca clothing, children’s puzzles, stained glass, ceramics and more. Returning favorites include East Twin Arts, Door County Wildflower Candles and June’s Room.
Food and drink: “The market does offer delicious food options and plenty of beverages including the festive German-themed Glühwein and hot cocoa,” Rhode says. “Additionally, the event offers festive musical options to add to the overall experience including roaming costumed carolers.
“I genuinely love the holiday season, so it’s easy for me to say I love the Christkindlmarket on Broadway. If I had to pick what I love the most, it would be strolling through the chalet vendors during the evening when the lights are lit overhead, holiday music playing in the background and a festive energy in the air.”
Outdoor event! A Very Neenah Christmas Market
December 4 from 5-8 p.m.; December 5 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and December 6 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
2026 marks year two for A Very Neenah Christmas Market, but downtown Neenah is not new to bringing the holiday magic. A Very Neenah Christmas, the event that showcases live mannequins, tree lighting, carolers and more, has been delighting guests for decades.
“For one weekend, downtown Neenah transforms into a festive Christmas village filled with twinkling lights, charming market huts, local makers, delicious food and drinks, live entertainment, carriage rides, visits with Santa and his reindeer, and plenty of holiday surprises,” Michelle Dunning, Outreach & Development Coordinator for Future Neenah, says. “It’s a celebration that brings families, friends and visitors together to experience the warmth and wonder of the season. Whether you’re shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts, sipping something warm, making memories with the kids or simply soaking in the sights and sounds of the season, there’s no better place to celebrate than Christmas in Neenah.”
What to expect this year: “New this year, Neenah High School students are helping us add even more Christmas magic by building a larger-than-life sleigh that will become a festive photo opportunity for families and friends,” Dunning explains. “It’s one more example of how our entire community comes together to make Christmas in Neenah something special.
“We’re continuing to grow the Market with new vendors, experiences and festive surprises throughout the weekend. So, whether it’s your first visit or a new family tradition, plan to spend the weekend with us and experience why Neenah was recognized as one of the Hallmark Channel’s Merriest Christmas Towns in America!”
An array of vendors: “Shopping is at the heart of the Christmas Market!” Dunning exclaims. “This year, the village will feature 15 vendors, with many returning favorites along with a few exciting new additions. Guests will find a great mix of handcrafted and unique items, including gifts, hats and apparel, crocheted creations and more.
“Whether you’re looking for a special Christmas gift, a stocking stuffer or a little something for yourself, there’s truly something for everyone and at a variety of price points. Come ready to browse, shop and support the talented small businesses and makers who help make our Christmas Village so special.
“Just like you’d find at a traditional European Christmas market, be sure to get your official 2026 Future Neenah Christmas Market mug! Each year features a special design, and the mugs have quickly become a favorite Market tradition and collectible. Even better, they’re made locally by Sunset Hill Stoneware. Fill yours with Santé Wine Bar’s Glühwein or Galloway’s famous spiked eggnog while you explore the village, then take it home as a keepsake from Christmas in Neenah. Start—or add to—your collection and bring a little piece of the Market home with you!”
Food and drink: The market offers Giant German-style pretzels, sizzling brats, warm roasted nuts and plenty of other festive bites to enjoy as you stroll through the village. Raclette at The Cheese Table, featuring warm, melted cheese for the ultimate cozy Christmas Market treat. “There’s just something special about Christmas in Neenah. It’s neighbors running into neighbors, families making memories, local businesses opening their doors, and our community coming together to create an experience that feels warm, welcoming and genuine,” Dunning reflects. “It’s the kind of place where you want to slow down, stay awhile and come back year after year.
“I personally love the carousel! If I had to pick my two must-dos at the Christmas Market, it would be the festive carousel and Galloway’s spiked eggnog! There’s just something about taking a spin on the carousel surrounded by the lights and sounds of the Market—and then warming up with an eggnog afterward. For me, those two things mean Christmas in Neenah has officially arrived!”
Old World Christmas Market, Elkhart Lake
December 4-13: Fridays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Wednesday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
For 28 years, the Old World Christmas Market in Elkhart Lake has been bringing holiday joy and magic to those from near and far. The market gains inspiration from traditional celebrations in Germany and Europe, and includes authenticity and unique aspects that bring comfort and holiday charm.
“Each December, guests are transported into our festive marketplace filled with twinkling lights, evergreen boughs, authentic artisan gifts, European-inspired food and drink, and the warmth of holiday traditions,” Tracie Toth, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Osthoff Resort & Spa, says. “It offers visitors the closest experience to a European Christmas market without leaving the Midwest.”
What to expect this year: “While the heart of the market has remained unchanged, we’ve continued to evolve the experience over the years,” Toth explains. “What began as a holiday shopping event has grown into a destination holiday tradition that includes expanded food and beverage offerings, family activities and overnight getaway experiences. For 2026, we’re introducing the Osthoff Winter Festbier, a custom seasonal beer created exclusively for the resort and Old World Christmas Market in partnership with The Bavarian Bierhaus of Milwaukee.
“This year, we’re unveiling a new commemorative Glühwein boot design, which has become a highly anticipated collectible for many of our returning guests.”
An array of vendors: More than 65 vendor booths, combining a diverse selection of artisan and specialty vendors: handcrafted gifts and specialty products, including ornaments, nutcrackers, wood-carved items, holiday décor, jewelry, textiles, candles, gourmet foods, European imports, and seasonal gift items. Returning favorites include those offering handcrafted ornaments, traditional German-inspired gifts, specialty foods, nutcrackers, and artisan woodworking displays.
“Equally important are the familiar faces behind the booths,” Toth reflects. “Many of whom have become part of guests’ annual holiday traditions.”
Food and drink: Authentic European-inspired food and drinks like German potato pancakes, roast sauerbraten, pork schnitzel, beer, Glühwein, hot cocoa and warm apple strudel.
“In a season that can often feel rushed, the market provides an opportunity to slow down and reconnect,” Toth says. “Families return year after year because the experience feels authentic. It’s a place where grandparents introduce grandchildren to traditions they remember, friends gather for annual holiday getaways, and visitors create memories that become part of their own family story. For many guests, attending the market officially marks the beginning of the Christmas season.
“My favorite moment is stepping into the market and taking in all of the senses at once. The scent of fresh evergreens, roasted nuts and Glühwein in the air, the glow of the lights, the sounds of holiday music, and seeing families genuinely enjoying time together creates an atmosphere that’s difficult to describe until you’ve experienced it yourself.”
Oshkosh Holiday Market & Bazaar
December 5 (City Center Atrium) and 19 (Convention Center), and January 2 (After Christmas Sale at the Oshkosh Arena) from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The Oshkosh Farmers Markets has been transformed into the Oshkosh Holiday Market & Bazaar each winter for 13 years, and gets more and more magical each season. With face painters, live music, crafts and more, the event also aims to help nonprofits during the season and beyond.
“It’s just a great place to be for Christmas,” Michelle Schmid-Schultz, Market Manager, says. “We bring the community together and have so many unique and wonderful handmade items, both food and craftware. It’s very festive and we always try to incorporate organizations and great causes to help people out during the holidays.
“For example, one year we had Father Carr’s and they had the Giving Tree. So they essentially sold ornaments. The kids wrote what they wanted for Christmas on the ornaments, and then people would come to the market, select an ornament off the tree and give the money to the representative from Father Carr’s so that child could get a present that year.
“We also have an EBT program out there that helps people make fresh food affordable. And during the holidays last year, we actually got a donation so that we could match up to $40. So if they came and got $40 on their EBT card to spend at the farmer’s market on fresh food, we matched it with another 40 so they could spend $80.”
What to expect this year: “We always have some holiday surprises… I’m one of those managers where people will call me with an idea and have a lot of energy and passion about their idea, and I really try to help them run with it!” Schmid-Schultz exclaims. “That’s part of the success of the winter market. I can’t take credit for being the person who does it all, I just figure out how the pieces fit together in a festive environment. It’s basically driven by community members.
“We participate in the Holly Jolly Pass program, so if you come to the farmer’s market and make a purchase, even if it’s a $1 cookie, we give you a holiday canvas shopping bag because every year we have a new one made by 4imprint.”
Santa Claus and his entourage will be at the market December 19!
An array of vendors: The Oshkosh Holiday Market & Bazaar is able to fit 60-90 vendors depending on their location, and ranges from crafts and clothing to baked goods and traditional farmer’s market goods.
“We usually have about 3 really large produce vendors year-round,” Schmid-Schultz says. “We also have an apple vendor, and farmers with squashes and a lot of winter produce… as well as quite an array of fresh meat vendors. We have fresh eggs, jerkies, a lot of canned products and cottage bakers. If you don’t want to make your own holiday cookies, come to the market! The Amish always join us during the holiday season and have a ton of bakery items. Oh and Wisconsin cheeses!
“On the craft side, we have a ton of different options: aprons, pottery, metal work, floral arrangements, wreaths and Christmas ornaments.
“I have a huge array of incredible vendors and I encourage them to rotate. The staple items you’ll see every week but otherwise if you see something you like you should buy it. The market is where you can shop for people who are hard to buy for this season. We have the best selection of unique, alternative gifts.”
Food and drink: Each market location offers a full beverage service, breakfast and sometimes lunch.
“I love bringing the community together,” Schmid-Schultz reflects. “There’s nothing that gives me more personal satisfaction than vendors that sell out and are able to do what they need to do. Seeing all the people smiling, enjoying the live music and festive environment.
“When they’re at the market, they’re happy. They’re eating cookies and sampling stuff. It’s a great sense of community and that’s my goal every single week to give people a little escape from their regular lives for a few hours on Saturday morning.”
