Mellrichstadt Christmas Market

Mellrichstadt – Rhön Town with Christmas Charm

Mellrichstadt is a small town with around 5,500 inhabitants in the Rhön-Grabfeld district (Lower Franconia, Bavaria) – on the northern edge of the Bavarian Rhön, near the Thuringian border. The former imperial city with its historic old town, remains of the town wall, and several preserved towers forms a particularly atmospheric backdrop for a Christmas Advent market – not overcrowded, but authentic and neighborly.

26th Christmas Market 2026

The 26th edition will take place on the weekend of December 12–13, 2026. The market is spread across several interconnected squares in the historic town center: the Bürgerhaus (Marktplatz 2), the Marktplatz itself, and the nearby Roßmarkt. The stalls and booths offer:

• Hobby artists and craftspeople: Jewelry, ceramics, wood carvings, textiles, Advent wreaths.
• Gift items: Christmas decorations, small Christmas presents.
• Food stalls: Mulled wine, Franconian bratwurst, gingerbread, lard pastries, baked potatoes, crêpes.
• Model railway exhibition: a traditional special exhibition inside the Bürgerhaus.

Kufengaudi – Ice Rink on the Market Square

A special feature of Mellrichstadt is the Kufengaudi, a temporary ice rink on the market square, which is operated every year from December 1st to January 28th – thus extending well beyond the Christmas market. This turns the market square into the region's "winter stage," and the Christmas market on the second Advent weekend gains an additional experience element for families thanks to the ice rink.

Region's Largest Christmas Bauble

A visual trademark: what is locally considered "probably the largest Christmas bauble in the region", which is set up on the market square and has become a popular selfie spot.

In the Rhön Advent Calendar

The Mellrichstadt Christmas Market is part of a dense series of Rhön Advent markets, offering numerous small markets between Bad Königshofen, Münnerstadt, Ostheim vor der Rhön, and the Hessian Wasserkuppe side. Compared to the large cities of Würzburg, Schweinfurt, or Bamberg, Mellrichstadt scores with its family atmosphere and unadulterated tradition.

Live Music in the Bürgerhaus

During the festival weekend, concerts and musical performances by school choirs, brass ensembles, and church choirs from Mellrichstadt and the surrounding area will take place in the Bürgerhaus – traditional Advent songs, brass music, and choral singing.