Käthchen Christmas Market Heilbronn
65 wooden stalls, ice rink, and open-air winter cinema in the city centre
About Käthchen Christmas Market
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Käthchen — Heilbronn's Figurehead
The Käthchen Christmas Market is named after 'Käthchen von Heilbronn', Heinrich von Kleist's 1810 theatre heroine who has become the city's literary figurehead. The market not only uses this identification in its name but also in its marketing — a Käthchen figure appears in advertisements and event postings. The organiser is Heilbronn Marketing in collaboration with the stallholders.
65 Wooden Stalls in Four Streets
With 65 wooden stalls, the Käthchen Christmas Market is one of the largest Christmas markets in Baden-Württemberg, following those in Stuttgart, Esslingen, and Ulm. The stalls are spread across four central city axes: Marktplatz with the town hall, Kiliansplatz by St. Kilian's Church, Fleiner Straße, and Sülmerstraße. On offer: arts and crafts made from wood, glass, and ceramics, nativity figures, jewellery, regional specialities such as Württemberger mulled wine, chestnuts, crêpes, gingerbread from Bavaria and Swabia, as well as food stalls with sausages and Schupfnudeln.
Ice Rink Curling, Winter Cinema, and Advent Singing
A Heilbronn speciality is ice rink curling: Monday to Friday from 8 PM to 9 PM, the ice rink (a curling variant) transforms into a competition arena where clubs, companies, and private individuals can compete. In addition, the open-air winter cinema shows film classics and Christmas films on a screen between the wooden stalls. Highlight: The joint Advent carol singing 'Heilbronn sings' on December 20th, 2026 — thousands of Heilbronn residents will sing Christmas carols together in the Marktplatz.
Remembrance Day December 4th
A quiet special feature: On December 4th, 2026, the day of remembrance of the devastating bombing raid on Heilbronn in 1944, the Käthchen Christmas Market closes early at 7 PM. On that evening, the city and St. Kilian's Church are dedicated to remembering the approximately 6,500 Heilbronn victims of the air raid.
Käthchen Christmas Market — edition 2026
Advent Magic in Heilbronn
The 2026 Käthchen Christmas Market opens on Monday, November 24th, 2026, and ends on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2026. The organiser is the City of Heilbronn together with Heilbronn Marketing. On four central axes — Marktplatz, Kiliansplatz, Fleiner Straße, Sülmerstraße — 65 vendors present arts and crafts, mulled wine, regional specialities, and gift ideas.
The accompanying programme is unusually rich for a city Christmas market of its size: ice rink curling as a curling variant on weekday evenings, an open-air winter cinema with Christmas films, the joint Advent singing on December 20th, and regular performances by choirs and music groups on the main stage.
Programme Käthchen Christmas Market 2026
Daily Opening Hours
- Mon–Thu: 11:00 AM–9:00 PM
- Fri–Sat: 11:00 AM–10:00 PM
- Sun: 11:00 AM–9:00 PM
- Special Hours: December 4th, closing at 7:00 PM (Remembrance Day of the 1944 bombing raid)
Recurring Programme Items
- Ice Rink Curling — Monday to Friday from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Open-Air Winter Cinema — Film classics and Christmas films between the stalls
- December 20th, 2026 — 'Heilbronn sings': Joint Advent singing on Marktplatz
- Daily performances by choirs and music groups on the main stage
- Weekend Programme: Children's entertainment, craft activities on Marktplatz
Detailed daily programme: kaethchen-weihnachtsmarkt.de.
Highlights Käthchen Christmas Market 2026
- 65 wooden stalls with arts and crafts and gift ideas
- Ice rink curling Mon–Fri 8–9 PM
- Open-air winter cinema with Christmas films
- 'Heilbronn sings' on December 20th — joint Advent singing
- Four central axes: Marktplatz, Kiliansplatz, Fleiner, Sülmerstraße
- Special closing on Dec 4th (Remembrance Day of the 1944 bombing raid)
Prices Käthchen Christmas Market 2026
Free admission to the market area. Food and drinks at the wooden stalls at market prices. Mulled wine mugs often serve as collector's items — take the deposit or keep them as souvenirs.
Practical information — Käthchen Christmas Market
Getting There
By train: Heilbronn Hauptbahnhof, then tram line 1 or a 5-minute walk to Marktplatz. By car: A 81 (exit Heilbronn / Untereisesheim), multi-storey car parks in the city centre (Killiansplatz, Wollhaus).
Opening Hours
Market daily from November 24th to December 22nd, 2026. Usual opening hours: Mon–Thu 11:00 AM–9:00 PM, Fri–Sat 11:00 AM–10:00 PM, Sun 11:00 AM–9:00 PM. Exception: December 4th, closing at 7:00 PM (Remembrance Day bombing raid).
Admission
Free admission to the entire market area.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Käthchen Christmas Market al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place Käthchen Christmas Market
Marktplatz, Kiliansplatz, Fleiner Straße, Sülmerstraße
Marktplatz, 74072 Heilbronn