Downtown Market targets 100K draw

European-style Christmas market eyes 30 vendors

By Abby Poirier

Planners of a new traditional European-style Christmas market in Grand Rapids have set their sights high, with a goal to attract 100,000 visitors in the inaugural year.

Grand Rapids Downtown Market recently announced plans and opened vendor applications for a new Christkindl Markt event that aims to offer a new type of outdoor Christmas shopping experience steeped in European traditions.

Christkindl Markt 2023 advertises itself as “West Michigan’s Largest European Christmas Village” and will feature more than 30 vendors at a small outdoor village adjacent to the Downtown Market. The event is slated to run Wednesday-Sunday from Nov. 17 to Dec. 23.

Organizers say the event promises the full scope of Christmas entertainment and shopping, including holiday lights and decor, curling sessions, handmade gifts and crafts from local and regional artisans, live entertainment including Santa appearances and caroling, and ready-to-eat food vendors and hot beverages.

In a promotional video for vendors, the market advertised that it anticipates more than 100,000 visitors for its inaugural season.

Brian Burch, managing partner at public relations firm Burch Partners and a spokesperson for the Downtown Market, likens the new program to Chicago’s famous Christkindlmarket, or even Grand Rapids’ own ArtPrize, in terms of scale and scope of vendors.

While offering a family-friendly cultural experience for visitors, the market hopes to drive sales for local vendors and artisans during a time of year when Michiganders are looking for the perfect holiday gift, Burch said.

“The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve is some of the greatest sales opportunities of the year,” he said. “The volume of people that comes to the Downtown Market during that time already (is) thousands of people a day even without the event. An additional event on top of it has the potential for significant sales.”