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Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market
Birmingham city centre has been host to a Frankfurt Christmas Market for 19 years, this year being the 20th!
We can see the market from our window!
The event takes place around Victoria Square and New Street with an array of stalls selling traditional food (think Pretzels, schnitzels, bratwursts, and roasted almonds) and festive drinks from glühwein and weissbeer to hot chocolate. There are gifts to be purchased such as handcrafted decorations, toys, jewellery, and a few fun rides as well.
Whilst still quite traditional, The Frankfurt Market is a mainly commercial affair these days and enjoys around five and a half million visitors each year. This year the Frankfurt Christmas Market will open on 7 November and run until 23 December 2019 and stays open from 10am to 9pm.
Attractions this year will include a spectacular 55m City Flyer ride, which is pencil shaped and points 55m into the air while spinning riders around like birds on a wire.
If that sounds a little too adventurous there’s a 40m Big Wheel which will slowly rotate passengers offering a pleasant view of the ever changing city below and if Ice Skating is more your thing Centenary Square will also be host to Birmingham’s incredible new covered Christmas rink.
Look out for the singing moose head, and make sure you take cash as some stalls require deposits for cups and glasses. Whilst many of the stalls are not from the city, it is still possible to find local produce and stalls if you have a mooch around. It is advisable to allow plenty of time as navigating New Street is particularly slow during peak times.
However, the German Markets are not for everyone and it can be chaos trying to find somewhere to eat or drink that doesn’t involve drunken steiner wielding hoodlums.
An Alternative Festive Experience?
A perfect antidote to the madness of the markets is the Jewellery Quarter which is a five minute tram ride from Grand Central and runs every ten or fifteen minutes.
Here you will find over 80 local independent bars, pubs and restaurants, with a really diverse selection of places to eat, drink and be merry. The JQ Food & Drink Guide has plenty of info on the cooler places to escape to this Christmas in Birmingham.
Our top tips of places to visit in the Jewellery Quarter include:
1000 Trades, Ana Rocha, Rose Villa Tavern, Red Lion, Actress & Bishop, Saint Paul’s House, Lord Clifden, Button Factory, Rock & Roll Brewhouse (weekends only), Andersons Bar & Grill, Pasta Di Piazza, Otto’s Pizza and Folium.