Lichtenfels Christmas Market and Fairy Tale Forest

Four Weeks of Advent on the Market Square

The Lichtenfels Christmas Market opens from November 27 to December 23, 2026 — for almost four weeks, the market square of the basket-making town on the Upper Main will be the scene of a classic Franconian Christmas market. Wooden stalls with craftspeople, regional specialties, mulled wine and gingerbread, a large Christmas tree above the rooftops: the ingredients for a peaceful, family-friendly Advent atmosphere in a town of just under 21,000 inhabitants.

The Fairy Tale Forest — Lichtenfels' Special Feature

What sets Lichtenfels apart from many other Christmas markets in the region is the Fairy Tale Forest: a dedicated area where the Fairy Tale Forest Railway runs its laps and children can listen to fairy tale readings in the Witch's House. The attraction is open daily from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; readings take place at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the Witch's House. The Fairy Tale Forest will also be open after the holidays from December 27 to 30 — an extension specifically for families during the school holidays.

Live Music at the Pavilion

Bands, choirs, and brass groups provide atmospheric live music at the market pavilion — every Friday and every Sunday at 5 p.m.. The program changes weekly and includes trombone choirs, church choirs, local bands, and occasional solo performances. Free admission.

Handicrafts and Delicacies

The wooden stalls around the Christmas tree host vendors from the Lichtenfels district and the neighboring Coburg region: jewelry, handicrafts, decorations, basketware (for which Lichtenfels has been famous for centuries), local specialties from bratwurst to mulled wine to gingerbread. Prices are below big-city levels — a real advantage of a Central Franconian Christmas market.

Lichtenfels and the Upper Main-Jura

Lichtenfels is the district town of the district of the same name in Upper Franconia — at the transition between Franconian Switzerland, Upper Main-Jura, and the Coburg region. The town is known throughout Germany as the Korbstadt (Basket Town): until the 20th century, basket weaving was a central economic sector; today, it is kept alive as a tradition. The pilgrimage site Vierzehnheiligen is also located in the municipality — one of the most important Baroque churches in Southern Germany.