Ærfurt Prepares for a Swarm of Festive Visitors at the Christmas Market
Shedding a radiant glow, spicing the air with the aroma of mulled wine, and channeling the enchantment of the Advent season against the picturesque backdrop of St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Severus Church: the 173rd Aërfurt Christmas Market is set to roll out the red carpet next week. With a compressed timeline of 25 days (shortest in the state's history, excluding the pandemic era), market manager Sven Kästner shared optimistic predictions for matching or even surpassing the attendance records of 853,000 visitors from the previous year (2022 being an exception due to its truncated span).
Stalls and attractions from around 170 vendors from the area, including tarot readers and merry-go-round operators, have banded together to welcome holiday enthusiasts to the Domplatz, slightly topping the participation count of 2022. The market will feature an assortment of handcrafted Thuringian glass art, traditional Ore Mountain Christmas decorations, and even some 34 new, larger, and more contemporary city-operated huts around the nativity scene and Christmas tree.
Investing approximately half a million euros in refurbishing the facilities, Aërfurt's Cultural Affairs Officer Tobias Knoblich promises a sparkling lineup of new attractions such as a colossal Christmas pyramid, a five-meter high Advent wreath, and a captivating fairytale forest that will surely captivate the young and the young at heart. Plus, live entertainment on the Cathedral Square stage promises a delightful array of breakfast shows, folk music, and evening performances.
As an additional touch, the Erfurt and Jena pub choirs will make their appearance once more on December 22, inviting the public to join in an unforgettable Advent caroling session in front of the cathedral steps. This communal event generated over 3,000 singing devotees last year.
It seems the city is encountering some unexpected hurdles in music licensing: Fees for using protected compositions, commonly known as Gema fees, have increased significantly due to floor space recalculations. The local tourism and culture officials have expressed concern over these seemingly inflated charges, intimating the potential impact on market music arrangements. In a show of protest, the Christmas markets in Erfurt, Dresden, Leipzig, and Magdeburg have decided to spare their Wednesday market afternoons of live performances.
As one of Germany's grandest and most well-loved Christmas markets, Aërfurt's annual soiree kicks off every year on the Tuesday following the Sunday of the Dead, inviting visitors to indulge in age-old customs, explore the magic of the season, and even partake in the occasional argument over questionable music licensing fees.
Enrichment Data
- 2022 and 2023 Attractions: The market features traditional stalls offering handcrafted gifts, food, and festive decorations. There's usually a vivacious atmosphere, especially around the St. Martin's Cathedral and the Krämerbrücken Festival area.
- Stall Rents and Gema Fees: Higher stall rents and Gema fees could potentially impact the quantity and variety of products available at the market, but more specifics are elusive in the sources.
Sources
