Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt

Exactly what you want when you think of a Christmas market in terms of beautiful ambiance and tasty treats. I knew going in that it would be smaller than the Carmel Christkindlmarkt but I was surprised at how much smaller. I loved the live music from the stage. It added an extra layer of Christmas magic. Plus, we had the benefit of one of the first snows of the season adding to the ambiance so it was a vibe. After going to the Carmel one a few years in a row, we were pleasantly surprised that we didn't have to wait in long lines and fight crowds of people just for a sandwich. We were able to stop at every booth and try just about every type of food offered in about an hour. They had lots of heat lamps and seating available too. We were able to reserve a spot and park in the Block20 garage next door for about $5. It's a good thing because it was over $17 for two tiny Butterbiers. For the hot chocolates, it was $16 cash for two but there was an extra dollar+ fee for using a credit card. It's definitely worth stopping in while you are already downtown! But bring cash.

Love the space! Lots of seating. I love that they sell Christmas trees, have German food and sell beverages. We had a pretzel, raclette, beer and gluwine. Also music- both piped in and live. And a wonderful Santa.Free admission and parking was easy to find. I'd love it if there were more vendors. I think that would really push this over the top. I realize the space is smaller, but I think it could work!

What a charming winter addition to Mass Ave. Located behind the Rathskeller, this Christkindlmarkt is in its second year and while not as big and extensive as the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, has a lot of charm and much smaller crowd sizes. There are a variety of food items - I had the schnitzel sandwich, loaded Kartoffelpuffer and mulled cider. The schnitzel was really good and is definitely the inspiration behind the Hoosier tenderloin. The potatoes were alright - I think I prefer the spiral potatoes on a stick but these are a great side for the sandwich. Mulled wine is not my thing, so I got the cider and found it much more agreeable. It will warm you up inside! The decor is very festive and they also have a stage for music and a band was playing during our time there. You'll also find some vendors with things for sale both inside the market and in the alley outside it. I also loved the cute photo ops inside the market too!We parked in the garage that was suggested on their web site and it's just steps away from everything, which was very convenient. I would encourage you to visit for a fun family night, date night or girls night out.

My family and I were downtown today and decided to visit the Athenaeum to check out the market. Since it's a Sunday we found free nearby parking and walked right in. Since it was a cold rainy day it wasn't crowded and we had plenty of space to view all the booths. We loved hearing the live music and checking out the dancing as well. We got a hot beverages to keep us warm and enjoyed the show. It was a wunderbar time!

Downtown needed something like that for locals. I'll say I've never been to the circle downtown for the holidays.... I just never make it that way as a local. This place is a nice start to what could be a great tradition for a downtown Christmas market. The only real option to compare this to is Carmel's, which has been going on for many years and has easily 5x the space than the Biergarten does. That being said, I think it was a great first year at this and it will only get better from here on out. Some notes for future planning: - some of the Mass Ave vendors shouldn't have been there. It was odd to see a shop that was literally a block away with their store front. - have more fires and warming stations- squeeze in a few more vendors - there was lots of empty space, especially at the entrance, when we went. - we went during a Christmas karaoke night, but if other nights they weren't playing music, that is a must. Other than that, I think it's a great event and can't wait to see it grow and improve next year!

This is the perfect weather to come to the inaugural day of the Anthenaeum Christkindlmarkt! Sunny and almost 50° This is located in the back where the Biergarten is at the Rathskeller. They have German pretzels, roasted Bavarian nuts, gluhwein a German mulled cider, raclette cheese and more. The Bavarian honey ham with raclette cheese on the French baguette was really good. They have souvenir Christmas boots, ornaments also.The stage is beautiful! They decorated it so nice. They have fresh Christmas trees and wreaths for sale before you walk in. They have a nice "Indy" sing where you can take your picture with the Biergarten in the background. I wish they had some props to hold up. Like a pretzel, German flag, Saint Nikolas props things like that. They have a bunch of picnic table outside along a wall and other areas to sit inside. They have restrooms outside in a trailer, but they're nice. They will have concerts throughout the festival and all the information as to who's performing and when is on the anthenaeum website.

Standing heaters kept us warm while we listened to the band and enjoyed the bar.A few vendors selling all things German including food.Picnic tables and seating scattered around.Parking garage nearby.This cozy venue beside the Rathskeller will get you in the holiday spirit.

If you are downtown this holiday season, add this stop to your festivities! Now, this market is not as commercialized and glitzy as the Christkindlmarkt up in Carmel. Rather, it feels more like one you'd find in a German village. It's magical to turn the corner and BOOM there it is! There are a few food and drink options--but the plans are to expand to the alley next year! They had all local businesses like Ash & Elm, just pop in, gallery pastry, silver in the city, etc. bring your wallet--because if you're doing food and picking up a knickknack or two you'll be dropping a good chunk of change. It's free to get in and it's a fundraiser for the Anthaneum. In addition to having different bands and groups perform on the stage, they had a Krampus romp which was pretty fantastic--if only the people running it would learn some Deutsch and pronounce it correctly Macht Spaß!

The Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt was a fun holiday event addition this year to downtown Indy. The smaller vibe reminds me of the German Christmas markets you'd find in cities like Chicago. It felt cozy and inviting, with heated lamps all around and lights to add to the magic of the environment. We didn't go on a night with entertainment, but I did see they had several nights with music throughout December.A few specific stops I loved:-Ash & Elm had a special holiday cider made for the market. It was delicious and not overly sweet-The Ornament Haus featured the most beautiful handmade wax ornaments by "Wax Traditions." We didn't plan to buy anything but couldn't leave without grabbing one for our tree-The Christkindlmarkt boot mugs were handmade by "Gravesco Pottery" and it was easy to see how high-quality they were-The Rathskeller Restaurant offered traditional German items at a convenient pickup window - their pretzel and ham & raclette sandwich were a great warm snackThis well-organized and cute market was the perfect Indy holiday stop!

Pretty good job converting the Biergarten to a holiday market. I think the area would probably be closed during the winter, so they are able to create a new event in a familiar space.The Christkindlmarkt is fairly compact. There are about eight or so vendors, selling everything from food items to merchandise. In particular, they were selling artwork, craft jewelry, ornaments, and pottery.Because of its proximity to The Rathskeller, there are nice food options with German twists. A full bar with specialty beers is also available. Ash & Elm is also on hand with a cider just made for the market. Hot beverages are also available for purchase.There is live entertainment on most nights during the run of the market. While the event is outdoors, there are heaters to keep the guests warm. They did a good job with additional lighting and holiday décor.Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt is worth a quick visit during the holidays, whether to pick up some gift items or to enjoy the atmosphere. It is a nice way to reimagine what a holiday event can be.