Christmas Market at Trabrennbahn Karlshorst

The Trabrennbahn Karlshorst

The Trabrennbahn Karlshorst on Treskowallee is Berlin's most traditional horse racing venue: opened in 1893 as Pferdesportpark Karlshorst, it has been in continuous operation through two world wars and two German state regimes. The area is located in the Lichtenberg district, Karlshorst neighborhood - a densely populated, gentrified area with villa charm and plenty of green space. The track is now operated by Pferdesportpark Berlin-Karlshorst e.V., which uses the grounds not only for harness racing but also for a packed program of events: Bach Festival, Beer Festival, flea markets, street food events - and once a year, the intercultural Christmas market.

"The World at Home in Karlshorst"

The concept of the Christmas Market at the Racecourse is deliberately intercultural: Karlshorst has been a diverse neighborhood since the 1990s with communities from Vietnam, Turkey, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Syria, Eritrea, and other countries of origin. The market brings this diversity under one roof - with stands where clubs and communities present their Christmas customs and cuisines. In addition to classic mulled wine, gingerbread, and bratwurst stands, there is Vietnamese street food, Turkish lokum, Polish pierogi, Syrian tea, and Eritrean berbere mixes.

Program Components

The festival program typically includes:

• Market stalls: Handicrafts, gift items, Christmas tree decorations from various cultures, stalls of local clubs
• International Cuisine: Vietnamese Banh-Mi, Turkish Pide, Polish Pierogi, Syrian Manakish, German potato pancakes and bratwurst
• Mulled wine, punch, apple mulled wine, non-alcoholic children's punch
• Children's Carousel
• Stage Program: SozDia Brass Band (Berlin social-diaconal youth network), choirs from various communities, small concerts
• Children's Program: Nativity scene, storytelling hour, crafts

Connection to Karlshorst's Event Landscape

The Christmas market is one of the highlights of the Karlshorst event calendar. Other important dates at the racecourse include the Beer Festival in summer, the Giant Flea Market several times a year, the Bach Festival "Bach bewegt", and occasionally concerts and family race days. The Lichtenberg district has established itself as a culturally active district in recent years, with a dense mix of GDR heritage, Vietnamese migration, and gentrified middle class. The Christmas market at the racecourse visibly brings this mix together.