Guides · Baltimore
Baltimore Christmas Market 2026: Christmas Village & More
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The Baltimore Christmas market, the Christmas Village in Baltimore, returns to West Shore Park at the Inner Harbor from 21 November to 27 December 2026, according to the organisers. Inspired by Nuremberg's famous Christkindlesmarkt, it brings German-style wooden booths, mulled wine, bratwurst and handmade gifts to the waterfront, with many stalls under a heated tent. Entry has been free in previous years.
Baltimore's festive season also includes one of America's most famous neighbourhood light displays, the Miracle on 34th Street in Hampden, an ice rink at the Inner Harbor and a lighted boat parade in Fells Point. This guide covers the 5 best ways to enjoy a Baltimore Christmas market trip, each with the address, how to get there and a Pro Tip. Where 2026 details had not been announced, we give last year's dates.
The order starts at the Christmas Village and the Inner Harbor ice rink, heads to Mount Vernon and Hampden, and finishes on the waterfront in Fells Point.
1Christmas Village in Baltimore - A German Market at the Inner Harbor
The Christmas Village in Baltimore recreates a traditional German Christmas market at West Shore Park, on the edge of the Inner Harbor. Inspired by Nuremberg's 16th-century Christkindlesmarkt, it has nearly 50 wooden booths around a Christmas tree, many under a heated festival tent, selling ornaments, crafts and German food and drink.
The 2026 market runs from 21 November to 27 December, according to the organisers, opening Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 8pm, and until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays, according to listings. It is also open on 21 and 22 December, and on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve from noon to 5pm.
Try bratwurst, potato pancakes, lebkuchen and mulled wine served in boot-shaped mugs. Leashed dogs are welcome.
Pro Tip: Visit on a weekday evening, when the market is quieter, and buy your mulled wine in a boot-shaped mug to take home as a souvenir. Check opening days, as the market is closed on some weekdays.
2Inner Harbor Ice Rink - Skating by the Water
The Inner Harbor Ice Rink sets up at the top of the amphitheatre between the Harborplace pavilions, with views over the harbour and the historic ships moored nearby. It is part of the Waterfront Partnership's Winter on the Waterfront programme.
In the 2025 season, the rink opened on 7 November and ran until 19 January 2026. The 2026 dates had not been announced at the time of writing; check the Waterfront Partnership's website before you go.
The rink is a short walk from the Christmas Village, making it easy to combine skating with a visit to the Baltimore Christmas market.
Pro Tip: Skate in the evening, when the harbour lights reflect on the water, then walk two minutes to the Christmas Village for a warming drink.
3Washington Monument in Mount Vernon - The Monument Lighting
Baltimore's Washington Monument, completed in the 19th century and the first major monument to George Washington in the United States, stands at the centre of the elegant Mount Vernon neighbourhood. Each December, the monument is lit up for the holidays in a festive ceremony with music and fireworks, a Baltimore tradition.
The surrounding squares are decorated with lights, and the neighbourhood's historic townhouses, museums and restaurants make it a pleasant place for an evening stroll.
Check the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy's website for the 2026 lighting date and programme. The monument is a short ride from the Baltimore Christmas market at the Inner Harbor.
Pro Tip: Combine the monument lighting with dinner in Mount Vernon, and visit the nearby Walters Art Museum, which has free general admission.
4Miracle on 34th Street - Hampden's Famous Lights
The Miracle on 34th Street in Hampden is one of Baltimore's best-loved holiday traditions. What began as one decorated house on the 700 block of West 34th Street has grown into a whole block of row houses covered in lights, inflatables and quirky Baltimore-themed decorations.
Highlights have included illuminated Natty Boh beer cans, Maryland crabs and a Christmas tree made from old hubcaps. In 2025, the lights were on display until 1 January 2026, and viewing them is free.
Hampden's main street, known locally as The Avenue (West 36th Street), has independent shops, cafés and restaurants that are perfect for holiday shopping.
Pro Tip: Visit on a weekday evening to avoid the weekend crowds, and combine the lights with dinner on The Avenue. Remember that these are private homes, so be respectful of residents.
5Fells Point - Olde Tyme Christmas and the Lighted Boat Parade
Fells Point, Baltimore's historic waterfront neighbourhood of cobbled streets and 18th-century houses, celebrates the season with its Olde Tyme Christmas festival, featuring carollers, Santa's arrival by tugboat and festive shopping.
The day ends with the Parade of Lighted Boats, when decorated vessels sail from the Inner Harbor to Fells Point. In 2025, the festival and boat parade were part of Baltimore's Most Festive Weekend on 6 and 7 December, which also included a Holiday Makers Market at Harborplace.
Check the Fells Point and Waterfront Partnership websites for the 2026 dates. It is a perfect way to end a day at the Baltimore Christmas market.
Pro Tip: Take the Water Taxi from the Inner Harbor to Fells Point for the boat parade, and find a spot on the waterfront early. Warm up in one of Fells Point's historic pubs.
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Baltimore Christmas Market 2026: Christmas Village & More - FAQ
The Christmas Village in Baltimore runs from 21 November to 27 December 2026 at West Shore Park in the Inner Harbor. The official hours are noon to 8pm Sunday to Thursday and noon to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays, with shorter hours of noon to 5pm on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. In previous years it closed on some early-week days, so check the calendar before you go.
Entry to the Christmas Village has been free in previous years. You pay for food, drinks, gifts and rides such as the carousel and Ferris wheel.
Take the free Charm City Circulator Purple Route to the Baltimore Visitor Center stop, right beside the market. Charles Center Metro station and Camden Station on the MARC line are both about an 11-minute walk away. Baltimore is roughly a 45-minute drive from Washington, D.C.
No, the Christmas Village is closed on Christmas Day. It is open on Christmas Eve from noon to 5pm, and organisers have confirmed it will also open on 21 and 22 December 2026.
Yes. In 2026 the Christmas Village reopens after Christmas and runs until 27 December, giving you a couple of extra days after the holiday. The Inner Harbor Ice Rink usually stays open well into January.
The Christmas Village is at West Shore Park, 501 Light Street, on the Inner Harbor waterfront next to the Baltimore Visitor Center. Many stalls sit inside a large heated tent, with more booths and rides outside.
Weekday afternoons are the calmest time to browse. Come around dusk to see the harbour lights and the Glühwein pyramid lit up. Weekends, especially in December, are the busiest.
The Christmas Village at the Inner Harbor is Baltimore's main German-style market. In 2025 the city also hosted a Holiday Makers Market at Harborplace with more than 60 local vendors during its festive weekend, alongside Fells Point's Olde Tyme Christmas.
Yes. The Inner Harbor Ice Rink sits at the top of the Amphitheater between the Harborplace pavilions, a short walk from the Christmas Village. In the 2025 season it ran from early November to mid-January. Skating is ticketed.
The lights cover the 700 block of West 34th Street in Hampden, where residents decorate their rowhouses every holiday season. They are free to see and look best after dark. Hampden is easiest to reach by car or taxi from the Inner Harbor.
