Here’s what you need to know about Belleville’s Santa Parade, Christkindlmarkt
Do you want to get your picture inside a snow globe? How about checking out an upcoming country music recording artist from Tennessee? Or do you plan to continue a family tradition of watching the annual Santa Parade?
You can do all this — and wait for it — a whole lot more in downtown Belleville this holiday season.
The Santa Parade starts at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 29 on North Third Street and then heads to Main Street.
Belleville welcomes back the Christkindlmarkt for a sixth year of shopping, entertainment, activities, food and gluhwein. The event kicks off at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 29, at the Public Square. Admission is free for the German style open air market.
A couple of new features during the Christkindlmarkt this year will be an Ugly Sweater Contest and a 15-foot snow globe you can step into for photos.
There will be weekly concerts and the headliner will be country recording artist James Carothers, who will perform a free concert on the Belleville Public Square at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30.
Rolling Stone magazine said if you like George Jones or Waylon Jennings, you’ll like Carothers. Carothers opened concerts for Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson earlier this year, according to Carothers’ website.
Rolling Stone reviewer Will Hodge said Carothers’ music “celebrates classic country’s history of rowdy crooners and sentimental outlaws.” The magazine selected Carothers last year as a new, upcoming artist in country music for fans to check out.
Carole Piontkowsky, director of the Belleville Christkindlmarkt, invites people to visit downtown because all of the events and activities are free.
“They can come down here and have a great time,” she said. The festival has “continued to be what I hoped that would evolve every year is that people would see that we are a tradition and to come down, just take a few minutes to relax.”
Here’s a guide to events in downtown Belleville:
Parade weather
Rain is expected on Friday but the forecast calls for the precipitation to arrive after the annual Belleville Santa Parade, which starts at 10 a.m.
The National Weather Service predicts a 70% chance of rain, mainly after 1 p.m. while the Weather Channel calls for a 90% chance of rain “later in the day.”
“We’re still on for Friday’s activities,” Mayor Mark Eckert said Wednesday.
However, Eckert said he will meet with the Optimist Club of Belleville, the group that organizes the Santa Parade, at 7 a.m. Friday to determine what path to take.
A decision will be announced to news outlets and social media by 7:30 a.m. Friday.
Christkindlmarkt hours
- Friday, Nov. 29 through Monday, Dec. 23.
- 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday
- 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday & Saturday
- 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday
- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16 & 23
- Closed Monday, Dec. 2 & 9
Downtown Belleville events
▪ Santa Parade — 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 29. The parade route begins on North Third Street. Find the map of this year’s route at www.belleville.net/holidays.
▪ Christkindlmarkt Concert — 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30. Northwest quadrant of the Public Square. 5:15 p.m. – Whiskey Raccoons. 6:30 p.m. – James Carothers. Free and open to the public. VIP tickets are also available. See full concert schedule below.
▪ Live Reindeer — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30; 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7; 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22. Visit with Prancer and Sven and friends. Bring a camera for free family photos.
▪ Small Business Saturday — Saturday, Nov. 30. Visit businesses in downtown Belleville to find holiday gifts. www.bellevillemainstreet.net
▪ Visit Santa’s House — Friday, Nov. 29 through Tuesday, Dec. 24. Visit http://bellevillesantahouse.com for dates and times.
▪ Free Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides — Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 29 to Dec. 22. Passengers can board and disembark in the first block of East Main Street at the Public Square near the Christkindlmarkt entrance. The trolley is operated by Noble Shire Carriages. For dates and times, visit www.belleville.net/holidays.
▪ The Ugly Sweater Contest is a new event this year. After you register at belleville.christmas.market@gmail.com, have your photo taken in your ugly sweater at Haus 1 in the Christkindlmarkt at the following times: 4-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1; 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3; and 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4. The winner will receive $50 in Belleville Main Street bucks.
▪ Winter Wonderland Snow Globe — 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, Dec. 14. Life-sized snow globe – bring a camera and take individual or group photos inside the snowglobe. Free.
▪ Free Cookie Decorating Class — 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, and Sunday, Dec. 22. Decorate and take home a unique gingerbread house cookie. For children of all ages. Pre-registration required on or after Dec. 1.
▪ Wine Tastings & Pairings presented by Seven Restaurant & Bar — 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3 and Tuesday, Dec. 10. Pre-registration required on or after Dec. 1.
▪ Find Gustav, the Christkindlmarkt Elf — Nov. 29 to Dec. 22. Kids can collect stamps at participating locations. After collecting 25 or more stamps, turn in the form at Local Lucy’s at 310 E. Main St. One grand prize winner will be selected on Dec. 23 and will receive $100 in Main Street dollars.
▪ Shops along Main Street will display winning entries in the Belleville Gingerbread Contest.
▪ Gingerbread 5K Run/Walk — 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. See the Gingerbread Man on downtown streets. Register at gingerbreadrun.com. The start and finish line is a 510 W. Main St.
▪ Old Belleville Historical Luminary Walk — 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. Walk along Abend and Garfield streets lined with candle-filled luminaries.
Entertainment schedule
Nov. 30 events on stage located at northwest side of Public Square. Nov. 29 through Dec. 23 events located in heated tent on southeast side of Public Square.
▪ Paul Bonn and the Bluesmen — 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29.
▪ Whiskey Raccoons — 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30.
▪ James Carothers — 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30.
▪ Joe Polach — 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6
▪ Area German Teachers, German Christmas Carols — 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.
▪ Belleville Community Band — 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.
▪ Dale Stanley — 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13.
▪ Belleville Community Band — 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.
▪ Philosophers — 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20.
▪ Second Sojourn — 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21.
Food vendors
• Roemer Topf
• Babushka’s Polish Food
• Sister Cities of Paderborn
• Oma Gisi
• Abe’s Gourmet Popcorn
Volunteers
Piontkowsky said Christkindlmarkt organizers are always on the lookout for more volunteers to help run the festival. Go to Haus 1 at the Christkindlmarkt if you are interested in volunteering.
The market has two booths reserved for volunteers from nonprofit organizations. If the volunteers staff the booth, their organization will get 60 percent of the profits sold in the booth.
Visit www.bellevillechristkindlmarkt.com, go to the group’s Facebook page or call 800-677-9255 for more information, additional activities and inclement weather changes.
This story was originally published November 27, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
