Tarp Christmas Market

Tarp in the Schleswig-Flensburg District

Tarp is a municipality in the north of Schleswig-Holstein, in the Schleswig-Flensburg district, with around 5,500 inhabitants. Conveniently located on the A7 motorway (Hamburg–Flensburg), Tarp is a service center for the Oeversee municipality and an important educational location in the region. The school center with the Alexander-Behm-Schule (primary and community school) has also been a venue for community events for years.

70 Exhibitors in the School Center

Every year on the second weekend of Advent, the Tarp Christmas market fills the entire school center: the sports halls, classrooms, and auditorium become sales areas for around 70 exhibitors. Handicrafts dominate – woodwork, textiles, ceramics, jewelry, honey, liqueurs, pralines, and Advent arrangements alternate in quick succession. Showmen with rides and a carousel provide a fairground atmosphere in the schoolyard.

Children's Program and Model Railway

• Carriage rides through the school grounds
• Puppet theater with several performances per day
• Visit from Santa Claus
• Carousel and small rides
• Large model railway exhibition in the music room of the primary school
• Stage performances by local choirs and music associations

Family Festival with a North German Touch

The market attracts families from the entire Oeversee municipality and surrounding communities every year. Unlike the large Christmas markets in Flensburg or Husum, the Tarp market remains family-friendly – no endless mulled wine stands, no crowds, but an Advent weekend that thrives on volunteer work and a neighborly atmosphere. IG Tarp e.V. has been organizing the market for years with local associations and the school community. A tradition that shows that Advent markets in smaller communities can have a special charm.