Carmel Live

About

The Carmel Christkindlmarkt is an outdoor German-style Christmas market on Carter Green, between the Palladium and the Tarkington theater. A nonprofit runs it. Wooden huts sell German food and drink, such as pretzels, wursts, raclette and Käsespätzle, along with gifts such as nutcrackers, cuckoo clocks and ornaments. An ice rink sits in the middle, and the Winter Pavilion stage has live music and dance.

Kids have their own spots. The Kinderecke is a craft hut open during all market hours. The Spielhaus has puppet shows and character visits. The Kulturecke covers German-American history in Indiana.

History

The market began in 2017 with 40 huts. Its annual report counts 297,100 visitors in 2025, and the market says USA Today's 10Best readers' poll has ranked it the top U.S. holiday market five times, most recently in 2025.

When to go

The 2026 market runs November 21 to December 24. The opening ceremony is at 11:30 a.m. on November 21. Regular hours are Wednesday and Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday noon to 8 p.m. It's closed Monday and Tuesday, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Special hours: November 25 and December 21 to 23, noon to 9 p.m., and December 24, noon to 4 p.m.

Wundernacht, on November 19, 2026, is a ticketed fundraiser for adults 21 and over, and it's sold out. Weekends are busiest. Weekdays and early hours are quieter. The rink stays open after the market, through January 31, 2027.

Check today's hours →

Good to know

Skating needs a separate ticket, and tickets aren't sold on site, so buy ahead. Sessions last 90 minutes. Parking is free in Carmel's garages, including Civic Square and Midtown South, each a 6 to 10 minute walk. A free shuttle runs on Saturdays and Sundays from 535 College Drive, and accessible parking is in the garage on 3rd Avenue SW.

Pets aren't allowed, but service dogs are welcome. It closes for winds of 40 mph or more, or sustained temperatures of 20 degrees or lower.

Price

• Market entry and activitiesFree
• Parking in CarmelFree
• Skating, ages 11 and up, Friday to Sunday$11
• Skating, ages 10 and under, Friday to Sunday$9
• Skate rental$4

Skating prices come from the rink's Rates page, which shows no year, and the rink's About page lists lower prices. Check the price when you book. The Rates page doesn't list a price for Wednesday and Thursday sessions.

Prices checked November 2026 on the website of The Ice at Carter Green. They can change, so check before you go.

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