Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - With the Christmas season in full swing across Western New York, a number of local holiday markets are open and getting into the festive spirit in the weeks leading up to Dec. 25.
Markets like the Buffalo Holiday Market and Christkindlmarkt at Hofbräuhaus Buffalo downtown opened this past weekend for Black Friday, and activity was hustling and bustling for the first week of business.
"It's been absolutely incredible. We opened last weekend, and Buffalo did not disappoint, and neither did Hamburg," said co-owner of the Buffalo Holiday Market on Ohio Street, Jillian Cannan. "The shoppers were shopping, the sun was shining, and it was absolutely incredible."
"We opened up last weekend... and we had over 10,000 people come through our Christmas market," said co-owner of Hofbräuhaus Buffalo, Ed Arnold. "This is our third annual market, and each one has been bigger, better and more beautiful than the one before."
For the 4-5 weekends during the holiday season, it is a busy time for both holiday markets in Downtown Buffalo, but the preparation leading up to Christmas is really year-round.
"The behind the scenes stuff starts from the minute we close the market, and runs all the way up until we open. Getting vendors ready, starting our lineups, making sure that we have a good mix of people joining us, and then promoting the market to offer different sponsorship levels for people who can't be physically present at the market but want to promote their business," Cannan said. "And then the stuff that goes on behind the scenes to get the chalets open and ready for shoppers is just something on another level."
Arnold had a bit more of a hectic offseason at Hofbräuhaus Buffalo, as his 26 booths at Christkindlmarkt were totally destroyed during 2022 Christmas Weekend blizzard.
"We had to rebuild them all, and a couple extras," Arnold said. "It is something that we start working on in January, and we work right on through the year with anxiety building right up until the day that we open. And then it kind of takes on a life of its own."
If you head out to either Christmas market this holiday season, there is something different for every single person to experience.
"We have tons of different curated vendors throughout the market, we have food vendors who are joining us that offer special treats and things like that," Cannan detailed. "You can make this an all out event for your family, make it a destination. You can come down, you can shop the market. We have igloos that you can rent, we have food service and things like that so that you can enjoy all of it throughout your stay."
At Christkindlmarkt, Arnold says there are Christmas decorations, Christmas trees and lights inside and outside for people to take in this holiday season.
"Every Friday and Saturday at 6 o'clock, we have a tree-lighting ceremony where there is a little parade that starts inside and goes out to the Christmas tree. We light the Christmas tree, they play O Tannenbaum or O Christmas Tree, and then we light a 'Feuerzangenbowle,' which is a flaming punch bowl, which is quite the visual thing to see. And that is a ceremonial kickoff for the Christmas market for that day, and it's beautiful," he said. "We also have on Saturdays and Sundays between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. EST, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus are there to greet the kids. We have cookie decorating for the kids. We have on Sundays between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. EST, we have a horse and carriage ride. We have lots of exciting, fun things that are planned throughout the whole Christmas market, and there's always something happening."
If you plan on heading down to the Buffalo Holiday Market between this Thursday and the Sunday right before Christmas on Dec. 23, Cannan says expect the most activity at the market to happen during the weekend days.
"The weekends are crazy, because most people are off so they like to make it a family-friendly event," she said. "During the week is great, just if you're looking for something fun to do out with the family and things like that. We have lots of little photo ops, we have sensory bins for the kids, play houses, things like that. So there really is something for everybody every day of the week at the market."
Meanwhile, the most active times at Christkindlmarkt at Hofbräuhaus Buffalo seem to be just after it opens each day.
"On Friday, we're opening at 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday it opens at noon, and I believe probably by about 12:30-1 o'clock it is the busiest. And sometimes that's the best," Arnold said. "That's when I love to kind of look around and see everybody having fun. The only thing that may play a factor is the weather. If we have beautiful, clear skies, it's going to be busy the entire time. If it rains, it may put a little bit of a damper on things, but we're going to be open."
Both markets are open in all weather conditions, barring any kind of severe weather.
More details regarding weekends as Christkindlmarkt can be found at HofbrauhausBuffalo.com. The holiday market at Hofbräuhaus Buffalo will close the weekend before Christmas Weekend with the last day of operation being Dec. 17.
As for the Buffalo Holiday Market, more information about hours and events can be found on their website, but there are a couple of different events in store for patrons this weekend.
"We have Tyler Bagwell joining us, he's a musical talent local to Buffalo. He will be here this weekend. We've partnered with P.U.N.T. Pediatric to help support their foundation throughout the holiday season. Be A Blessing Buffalo is another organization that's near and dear to our hearts, so we're partnering with them. And then this weekend, we will also have the 716 Giving Tree here. They'll have a little something special in store for people at the market," Cannan detailed.
Cannan also reminds the community of the importance of shopping small and local this holiday season.
"We have over 300 local businesses joining us throughout the duration of the market season, and it's really important to shop small," she said.
Buffalo Holiday Market
Buffalo Holiday Market
Buffalo Holiday Market
Buffalo Holiday Market
Buffalo Holiday Market
