Christmas Market at St. Bartholomew's Church Pegnitz
Traditional Christkindlmarkt around St. Bartholomew's Church
About Christmas Market Pegnitz
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A Market for a Good Cause
The Christmas Market at St. Bartholomew's Church Pegnitz is more than a tourist Christkindlmarkt format: It was initiated in 1971 by Father Dr. Vogl to finance the Don Bosco kindergarten and has been firmly in the hands of the Catholic parish of Herz Jesu ever since. Proceeds still flow into Third World projects, special parish initiatives, and the parish's children's and youth work. Over 100 parish members volunteer every market weekend – one of the highest volunteer rates among Franconian Christmas markets.
Location: St. Bartholomew's Church
The St. Bartholomew's Church – a striking church from the 19th century (on a site with a much older building tradition) – forms the heart of the market. The stalls are arranged in a circular path around the church: visitors stroll in a loop through the market activities, ending back at the starting point. This arrangement is unusual in the Franconian-Protestant-Catholic church landscape and gives the Pegnitz market its own visual charm.
Date: Saturday before the 2nd Advent
The market date is traditionally on the Saturday before the 2nd Advent, supplemented by Sunday. In 2026, the Saturday market falls on December 5, 2026, and the Sunday market on December 6, 2026. Opening hours are usually Saturday 10:00 AM–7:30 PM and Sunday 11:00 AM–6:00 PM (based on previous years' data).
Program Highlights
- Punch and Judy show – a regular feature for children
- Brass concerts – usually by the Pegnitz town band or brass choirs from the region
- Carriage rides – around the church square
- Christkind with gingerbread – the Christkind personally visits the children and distributes gingerbread, one of the atmospheric highlights and hallmarks of the market
Pegnitz in Franconian Switzerland
Pegnitz is a town in the Bayreuth district (Upper Franconia, Bavaria), at the transition to Franconian Switzerland. The market has been a fixed date for the town and the surrounding area for decades, and it preserves the familiar, community-like atmosphere of a parish market – in contrast to professionalized big-city Christmas markets.
Christmas Market Pegnitz — edition 2026
The Pegnitz Christmas market has followed the same fixed schedule for decades: Saturday before the 2nd Advent as the main market Saturday, Sunday as a supplementary market Sunday. In 2026, this corresponds to the weekend of December 5/6. The Catholic parish of Herz Jesu remains the organizer.
The program and schedule will be finalized in mid/late November 2026 on herzjesu-pegnitz.de and pegnitz.de. As usual, the brass concerts will be performed by the Pegnitz town band and local brass choirs, the Punch and Judy show for children is scheduled, and the Christkind's appearance will be liturgically integrated.
Programme Christmas Market Pegnitz 2026
Saturday, December 5, 2026 — Main Market Day
- 10:00 AM–7:30 PM — Market activities on the circular path around St. Bartholomew's Church, over 100 volunteer parish members serve and manage the stalls
- Afternoon — Punch and Judy show for children (multiple performances)
- Afternoon/Evening — Brass concerts in or in front of the church (brass choir / Pegnitz town band)
- Throughout the day — Carriage rides around the church square
- Late afternoon — Appearance of the Christkind, who distributes gingerbread to the children
Sunday, December 6, 2026 (St. Nicholas Day, 2nd Advent)
- 11:00 AM–6:00 PM — Market activities with candlelight, Christmas tree, mulled wine and children's punch stand
- Parish program, Punch and Judy show, and brass concert depending on final scheduling
Exact program times will be published on herzjesu-pegnitz.de and pegnitz.de.
Highlights Christmas Market Pegnitz 2026
Prices Christmas Market Pegnitz 2026
Practical information — Christmas Market Pegnitz
Getting There
By car: A9 Munich–Nuremberg–Berlin, exit Pegnitz, then to the city center. Parking available in town.
By train: Pegnitz station on the Nuremberg–Bayreuth line, then walk to the center.
Admission
Free. Donations and purchases support Third World projects, parish initiatives, and children's and youth work.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Christmas Market Pegnitz al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place Christmas Market Pegnitz
St.-Bartholomäus-Kirche Pegnitz
Pfr.-Dr.-Vogl-Straße 2, 91257 Pegnitz