Christkindlmarket to debut at RiverEdge Park in Aurora

German American Events LLC announced that the Christkindlmarket will return to the western suburbs, debuting this year at RiverEdge Park in downtown Aurora.

The event organizers are excited to work with the city of Aurora and the Aurora Civic Center Authority to bring the beloved holiday tradition to Aurora and give visitors an additional option, outside Chicago, to experience the market, a news release stated.

“We are so happy to bring the Christkindlmarket back to the western suburbs, especially at a site as beautiful as RiverEdge Park,” Kate Bleeker, director of Expansion and Market Development for German American Events, stated in the release. “For the last few years, many people have asked when we would have a suburban market, and we are overjoyed to have found such wonderful partners as the city of Aurora and ACCA to make this dream a reality. We can’t wait to share more details and ultimately welcome all our friends #BacktotheBurbs.”

Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin announced the plan during this week’s State of the City address.

“We’ll close out the year by bringing a new energy to downtown Aurora with a new partnership coming this winter to RiverEdge Park,” Irwin stated in the release. “A new event that will bring thousands to Aurora, well known for its vendors, its high-quality gifts, its food, holiday cheer, and as an ideal place for families to make memories.”

RiverEdge Park is the perfect site to host the return of the Christkindlmarket to the western suburbs, said Tim Rater, president and CEO of the Aurora Civic Center Authority.

“We’ve always wanted to find a way to activate the park beyond the summer concert season, and we can’t wait to welcome area residents and Christkindlmarket fans from all over to this incredible new holiday destination in downtown Aurora,” Rater said in the release. “I also love that in Christkindlmarket’s first year in Aurora, Paramount Theatre will be staging a blockbuster production of ‘The Sound of Music,’ just a short walk away. The City of Lights will truly be lit up with the sights and sounds of the holiday season.”

More information about the new market location will become available throughout the year; follow Christkindlmarket Aurora on Facebook and check the event website for updates.

About RiverEdge Park

RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway (Route 25), is an idyllic outdoor summer concert venue, serving up live music, festival food and beverages, all overlooking downtown Aurora and the Fox River.

RiverEdge Park is managed and programmed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority, which also oversees Aurora’s historic Paramount Theatre, the newly renovated, 165-seat Copley Theater across the street from Paramount, and the Paramount School of the Arts in the John C. Dunham Aurora Arts Center.

For tickets and information, visit riveredgeaurora.com or call 630-896-6666.

About German American Events LLC

German American Events LLC, a subsidiary of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that plans and executes the Christkindlmarkets in the Chicago area. All Christkindlmarket locations are modeled after the classic German holiday market in Nuremberg, Germany, with traditional candy cane-striped huts.

The outdoor holiday markets host international and local vendors who display and sell hand-crafted ornaments, toys, and special holiday gifts, as well as traditional German foods, sweets and beverages. The markets are rich in cultural tradition and include special events, entertainment and activities that are fun for the whole family, including traditional Alpine brass music.