European Christmas Market

Went to the European Christmas Market in Saint Paul and it was beautiful! ✨ I tried going by both car and light rail, and honestly, I’d recommend driving only if you’re going during a non-busy time. The main parking lots are about $10. If you’re going with friends or don’t want to deal with parking at all, the light rail or public transportation is the way to go. Pro tip: check the European Christmas Market Instagram—they have a link in their bio for free Metro Transit passes! 🚇 Also… prepare for the cold. 🥶 The mix of low temps and harsh winds is no joke, so I highly recommend bringing gloves, a hat, and a warm jacket. The market itself is a decent size—I’d say plan 2–3 hours if you want to eat, explore, and browse the vendors. The food is really good, and the lines move at a pretty decent pace. I recommend grabbing one item to share first, then deciding what else you want, because there’s a lot to choose from. And don’t forget: there’s a second little section of the market across the road! A lot of people miss it, but it has tons of hidden gems, so definitely check it out.

A fun experience to enjoy with family and friends! This is my second year attending this event, and it’s definitely my favorite. There are lots of vendors, free amusement rides, and craft activities for kids to enjoy. Don’t forget to purchase a souvenir cup to take home. The design this year is so cute! You can buy the cup on its own and ask a vendor to fill it with hot cocoa if you prefer a non-alcoholic option. It definitely gets cold, so be sure to dress in layers and find a place to warm up (eg. the white tents or the Union Depot). There’s plenty of parking available, and prices are the same ($10). We parked in the ramp, which has a skyway access to the market.

it’s actually very pretty & aesthetic over there! if only the event was bigger, there were a lot of people so it was crowded. but, i have never attend such an event it was wonderful and a delighted experience. it looks so vintage in my opinion. i love taking pictures of new places and especially visiting! here are some photos i have taken there!

First Friday 2025 was lively but not over-crowded. We six people and only were separated once, bc I was distracted. I met so many interesting shop owners and when I was asking where the (free) train and carousel were I met a lovely family of Christian petite entrepreneurs from Quito, Ecuador.

The event is good with many stahla swlling foods and crafts. The parking is $10.00. But cannot stand too long, it's freezing since it's an open area.

Agree with the other reviews saying this event would be better suited somewhere else. I have no issues with large crowds and they don't bother me in the slightest, but the space the market is in should be somewhere wider. Shoulder-to-shoulder with people bumping into you with no spatial awareness. Even if people made an attempt to be more considerate there was just nowhere to go. Most of the space between vendors is very narrow - there's nowhere to move out of the way, pull over, wait for orders or browse. Some areas had posts or poles in the middle that bottlenecked or completely stopped traffic. Warm tents where the alcohol is sold are very tiny as well. This place would benefit from a much more spacious layout so people can browse freely. A lot of the vendors were lovely. Hand made, kind people who loved what they did. But, a little too many of them were wholesalers. There are so many artisans out there who would love to be represented, please stop supporting wholesalers! All in all I'd be happy to go back, but the space the event is held in is off-putting and would make me think twice.

Came here for this years Christmas Market on a slightly warmer than lately Saturday. As usual it's a gorgeous setup. The small huts and lights are just so aesthetically pleasing, and fun to walk around and peruse. We haven't had something we disliked food wise. It's all very good. A little spendy, be prepared for State-Fair level prices, but hey it's an event and at least they don't charge you to get in! The mulled wine or Glühwein as it's called is great. if you pick up a mug you can get cheaper refills. I've had the red but didn't get around to getting a cup of the white but I'd still recommend it to people who like sweeter wines. The shops are all really cute and have alot of good products. Think art fair, you can buy art, clothes, knick-knacks, Christmas decorations and more, homemade and super bespoke. We might swing back but if not we'll definitely be there to check it out again next year!

Parking can be a little tricky but once you're in, it is MAGICAL ✨. This is our third time visiting over the years. And each year has had a great assortment of vendors, unique goods, and great food - I especially love the dog bandana/bowtie booth. We always leave feeling the holiday spirit. I will note, plan ahead while watching the temperatures/weather - we went one of the coldest days its ever remained open this year and the lines for the tents get quiteeeee long as folks are just trying to hide from the wind/cold/snow in there. I didn't see any outdoor heaters this year or any fires to warm up by when I went this year, but I could've sworn there was in the past. A few people we chatted with also had remembered outdoor heaters in past years, so I don't know if that's just a collective false memory or not, haha. But if they can bring in some heaters I know people would stay a whole lot longer. Overall, love this event and look forward to it every year, so much so I am always telling people to join us or to make sure they visit at least once on their own. Such a cozy and welcoming vibe. Only great experiences here - will be back! 🎄✨

Came here for this years Christmas Market on a slightly warmer than lately Saturday. As usual it's a gorgeous setup. The small huts and lights are just so aesthetically pleasing, and fun to walk around and peruse. We haven't had something we disliked food wise. It's all very good. A little spendy, be prepared for State-Fair level prices, but hey it's an event and at least they don't charge you to get in! The mulled wine or Glühwein as it's called is great. if you pick up a mug you can get cheaper refills. I've had the red but didn't get around to getting a cup of the white but I'd still recommend it to people who like sweeter wines. The shops are all really cute and have alot of good products. Think art fair, you can buy art, clothes, knick-knacks, Christmas decorations and more, homemade and super bespoke. We might swing back but if not we'll definitely be there to check it out again next year!

We haven't visited the market in a long time so I was excited to go back. The market has grown the last view years plus it is still free to attend. There are lots of vendors food, art and entertainment. We had a great time trying different treats cookies, pastries and warm wine and shopping for last minute Christmas gifts! There is also an indoor area at the depot to warm up and lots of kids activities!

I like Christmas markets any Christmas market when it's snowing at the same time your practically in a post card moment. There is a $10 parking fee but it's a lot bigger than I thought. They have 3 different areas to walk around. The $10 mugs are nice especially the red heart shape one, that comes with warm gluhwein(mulled wine).

A yearly tradition of our has been collecting mugs from the European Christmas market in St Paul. I love that this market is free and they have so many cool vendors. They are only open for the season on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. This place gets BUSY so be prepared for lines if you go during peak times. My favorite time to visit is Sunday mornings at open. Parking is free on Sundays in downtown Saint Paul and if you get down there early enough you can snag free street parking. There are plenty of local businesses that open earlier than the market to check out beforehand and the Union Depot is open earlier with plenty of cool things to see and do while waiting for the market to open. They have limited amounts of mugs each day so that is also another reason to get there at open!

I've been to the European Christmas Market a few times- this year I brought a friend from out of state. We went on a Friday evening and it was surprisingly quiet. It's free to wander the market which is great for those on a budget looking to get in the holiday spirit. They sell spiced mulled wine in fun collector mugs which is a great way to warm up while browsing the market since the vendors are outside. There are a variety of vendors with holiday decor, gifts and food. Our favorite stops this year were Burly Babe, who had phenomenal photography prints primarily of National Parks, and Lucy Iburg, who I bought the coziest mittens from! Last year when I came there were also a bunch of baked goods for sale from vendors set up in the depot, but they weren't there this time. There are a number of parking ramps nearby. I'd recommend the Lowertown Ramp- it's reasonably priced and close walk. Overall great time and can't wait to go back next year!

A wonderful way to start the holiday season. It's always on our holiday to do list to head to the Union Depot and enjoy this festive outdoor market. They expanded it this year which was lovely! A wonderful day to attend seeing it was a 40+ degree day on a Sunday (during the Viking game). Lots of unique and wonderful vendors selling their goods. Also in the expanded section they had kids activities including a carousel and mini train to ride (both free). Then some of the vendors had free activities and goodies for the kiddos including painting a wooden car, coloring a mini European market puzzle and decorating a wooden bookmark. Lots of different food and drink items. Most of the lines for food/drinks during the weekend will have long lines. The parking lots around the market are also roughly $10 for the event.

Such a fun event! It is popular so it is busy but that is to be expected. So many fun booths to look at and lots of food options. We got the hot apple cider, mulled wine in a boot mug that you get to keep, dinner sausage and some macaroons. Everything was really good but the crème brûlée macaroon was my favorite. I also got this hand carved hand painted ornament for my tree which is so cute. All the vendors are really nice and there is a decent amount of parking but I recommend car pooling. Highly recommend checking it out for a fun Christmas activity. They do have a bunch of stuff for kids as well.

very few vendors and I get they are artist, well some of them but honestly. there were a lot of manufacture items there too I only bought a 5x7 charcoal drawing of a Raven $25 bought 2 hot chocolates with allegedly shot of whiskey in each lol what a joke it was cold. so I splurged two tiny half cups of cocoa cost me $15 !!! arrrggh and mine tasted like mostly water cause apparently she did not bother to stir the half packet of cocoa she put in each cup. I felt cheated. The drawing and spending time with a long distance fri who drove up from Wisconsin to go ..was the only great thing about this event There was supposed to be vendors outside and events games food .,but there was nothing and the 5 trucks we saw all shut down and closed because it was cold! Well duh . It's a winter carnival . Very disappointed

I had no idea what to expect but, WOW, this was an event! We targeted getting there a little after 11am on a Sunday, understanding that it started at 11am. It was packed! Traffic was crazy. Parking was crazy. Crowds were crazy. Dress warm as the market is all outside. There are many food and merchandise booths to peruse. I found these warm faux fur driving mittens that I loved. I also tried the pancake balls (can't remember their official name). They were delicious! Covered in powdered sugar and raspberry sauce. So yummy. Lots of families attending. There is a free mini train ride for all ages. Lots of people walking around with a mug shaped like a sock/boot. I had a great time. Be patient given the number of people attending.

This was one of the coolest holiday events my husband and I attended this 2023 season! The setting really makes you feel like you're shopping in an Alps-seated little Germanic town, complete with vendors selling mittens, schnitzel, beeswax candles, and other wonderful gifts and decor for many folks! What we really loved was the anniversary cup we got with the purchase of our mulled wine, which is in the shape of a boot, so very fittings. We also loved the live performance and dancing available for entertainment. There are plenty of little firepits around to keep you warm in the cold! And throughout there are some activities for the kids as well as wonderful decoration around to get you in the spirit!

It was a cold afternoon with temps around 17 degrees (we're Californian). We had just gone to the Chicago Christmas market earlier in the weekend and wanted to try out the St. Paul Christmas market. The market is definitely more convenient here (and much less expensive). We went on a Friday early afternnon (learned out lesseon from the Chicago Christmas market to not go on a weekend). The is more walking space in the the walking areas and we didn't feel like we were shoulder to shoulder. There were more variety of shops here. The pastries and perogies were excellent. Thankfully the vendors we purchased from take electronic forms of payment (unlike Chicago). We would have stayed longer but our legs were getting frozen (LOL).

The European Christmas Market is a St. Paul tradition. It's very festive, cozy, and wonderful. It seems that there's a mix of vendors who return year after year and new ones. Food: there's a variety of European foods for sale. The classic vendors usually have long lines. This year I really enjoyed Apple Fritters, Raclette Bowl, Maple Steamer, and Pierogis. It was also really cool to listen to vendors talk to each other in various languages and hear all of the accents. *Pro Tip: try the Glühwein (mulled wine) either from a designated drinks booth or within the heated tent. It's also worth getting the souvenir cup as a momento and for discounted refills. There's a few shopping vendors that I recognized and made sure to stop at. My absolute favorite is a place to buy handmade mittens - I already have two pairs that I love dearly. I asked if they have an online shop and they said they only do fairs and markets like this! I love supporting small businesses and it's neat that you can find things here that you can't anywhere else! Cost: there are no required tickets or price to enter - it's free! I think there are VIP ticket bundles you can buy but I'm not sure because I mainly saw them in giveaways. Parking is not free. There's all the union depot parking lots outside and then you walk to the market. My friend and I parked further away in an underground ramp that connected to union depot through skyways; it was less expensive and we didn't have to worry about icy sidewalks! The food and drinks are pricey. The shopping is reasonably priced for handmade goods. I'm looking forward to next year's European Christmas Market! {1}

We had a good time at the European Christmas market for our second year in a row! This is a great walk through for families with school age kids or couples/friends looking for somewhere new to wander! There is a variety of different vendors offering homemade goods as well as goods brought in from different countries. There is good deals to be found but don't expect blowouts - things are speciality gifts and are priced as such. The walk ways between vendors can be a bit narrow and crowded so I would caution anyone with additional mobility needs to come early or late to avoid the crowds. There is food and drink available also at a slight premium price level but we both had coffee-esque drinks from one seller that were both delicious. We tried some of the cuisine options throughout and didn't find anything we were thrilled by, a lot was fair food quality and oversalted in our opinion but we understand the constraints of preparing food for an event like a market where amount needed is unknown and food must be able to be prepped fast. We bought a couple gifts throughout and stayed for around 2 hours which is about all you need to look through everything. Be warned the free parking options are slim and a lot of the pay lots nearby can be spendy so give yourself extra time to find a good spot and walk up!

Very cool event, even bigger than last year. Similar experience to others where there were HUGE lines for everything and the place was absolutely packed. It was difficult to park and having a kiddo in tow was not ideal. Lots of venders with knickknacks and such if you're looking for gifts.

I can see the appeal and why everyone seems to love this event, but here's my honest experience. Attended Saturday in the afternoon. Traffic around the area was at a standstill for blocks around the event... parking was a complete nightmare and took forever! Finally walked in at around 6pm. It was incredibly overcrowded and the lines were state-fair-level long. Many of the vendors were sold out of food for the day, so we really couldn't try anything that we had been planning to try. After being pushed around by the crowd for a while, we managed to make it to the alcohol tent towards the back of the event. Long line for this place as well, but it moved relatively quickly (S/O to the staff for running a tight ship). The mulled wine and the commemorative mug were very much worth it! Lovely concept that gets you into the holiday spirit, but poor experience on a Saturday afternoon. Please be prepared for a winter version of the State Fair if you plan to attend.

I had a good time walking around and trying all the new foods. Located at the union depot. Parking maybe hard to find or you pay for the event parking -which is around 20$- maybe too much for most people. But if you came here with the right mindset to support other cultures here in MN- it will not be as bad. Nice setup with wooden theme structures. Nicely decorated. Fairly small spacing but a lot to enjoy and look at. Time of the year it's cold and chilly so dress for the occasion. They have fun stuff for the kids too -including a merry go round. Small faux fire places to warm around drinking hot chocolate or adult beverages. Nice small stage for performance. Go out and enjoy other cultures if you like- you won't be disappointed with an opened mind. My only critique would be - the spacing is bit narrow and small for such a nice venue on how its layout. It was hard navigating through the crowd- caution for families with strollers- it is a bit difficult to push around with strollers throughout narrow walkways. Overall- it was very crowded but too narrow for people who wants to look at stalls always constantly have to give way to crowds going forward or coming the other way- making it harder to enjoy the vendors- plus the food stalls- when there's a line, it clogged s the walking ways so it makes the flow of traffic to a stop and the strollers usually don't do well. That's my only critique if it was a wide open space- more people can shop, eat, buy to support the vendors. Especially families can huddle together laugh, eat, and buy more. With narrow spacing- most people just keep walking around.

We were excited to visit and compare it to the Christmas markets we've visited in Europe. Between traffic, parking, lines, and quantity of people - the best way I can describe it is the winter version of the Minnesota State Fair. I wish I'd taken a picture because our experience was far busier than the reviews before me. By the time we arrived at 6pm on a Saturday, most of the vendors were nearly (if not completely) sold out. I'd love to see it again in its full glory. All in all, we got what we came for - a boot mug filled with Glühwein (mulled wine) - and it was delightful.

This is an absolutely recommended annual tradition that everyone should go do for free. I can't believe I did not know anything about this cute market in St. Paul that is actually quite large and has lots of options from crafters to food. They are actually celebrating their 10th year anniversary this year. The St Paul city came alive! I only attended the market this year from my friend's recommendation as we travelled together to the UK recently and went to a Christmas market there. This market in our own backyard is equally authentic and beautiful, I felt like we were in North Pole waiting to see Santa! The city did a really good job with all the structures and the crafters came ready with their goods and spirit of the holiday with great attention to details.

This was way cooler than I thought it would be. It's very beautiful and I actually lost myself in the moment, and could easily pretend I really was in Europe. I just wish more of the booths sold locally made items. Fair trade is important, and a lot of the items were made in places like China, where forced labor conditions still exist. We loved the Glühwein (shhh, they get it at Costco!), but noticed the cute stocking-shaped mugs were also unfortunately made in China. We enjoyed the potato pancakes. Unfortunately they were out of the dish we were most looking forward to, Raclette. The amazing men and women of Krampus was why we went, and definitely were our favorite part. Pro tip, you can use the restrooms inside the Depot and avoid long lines at the portapotties. We parked at a garage for $5 and were surprised to find we could walk all the way there by skyway. Check out the map when you get there, because there are multiple legs of the market to explore.

A fun and festive activity around the holidays! There are many vendors selling both goods and food, and it could be a great place to find holiday gifts or decor! There are so many excellent food options, so it can be tough to decide where to eat! I feel as though I need to go back to try more of the incredible food! I tried the Red and White Glühwein, which includes a mug, and is the perfect way to warm up when it's chilly; and the Ham and Cheese Strudel from FoodSmith was deliciously cheesy. Admission is free and they are open on the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's an open-air market/outside, so dress accordingly. I parked on a ramp and walked there, but the website has further information about parking and is a great resource if you want more information!

any place that tempts my kid to eat a new food gets an automatic 5 stars. ok, not really. but, we've made this a yearly tradition ever since I moved to the twin cities area. the food vendors are great and there's TONS of craft vendors. this time around, we got raclette, French onion soup, kielbasa, and blintzes. the blintzes could have used a little more flavor, but still good. even though we didn't buy anything this time, the variety of vendors was great. mostly, we looked at a few of the ornament ones. the kid wanted to get an ornament for the tree, but he didn't find one that spoke to him. overall, a good place to spend a couple hours with family and/or friends. we'll definitely be back again next year.

We have been to numerous Christmas markets across the country and in Germany. While this one doesn't live up to the biggest, it still holds its own. I'd love to see more businesses brought in and a better venue for the event. It seems out of place in its current location- too exposed and high up. It was handicap accessible from what I could see though.

It's a fun idea, but the layout makes shopping difficult. The market is so busy that it's hard to access the shops. Love that they serve food and have an area for kids.

i had never been to the union depot station before, however the light rail made it easily accessible to get there. i got there at 11 and it was filled with people, families, children, even saw quite a few dogs so that was nice to know they were welcome at the outdoor market. each vendor booth was so beautifully set up and there were far more places to visit than i had initially expected. i even got to see an amtrac up close and personal for the first time. the area in general is full of beautiful natural and artistic spaces that really made the experience unique. had a great time even though it was out of my comfort zone i am grateful for the experience.

In theory it is cute. In reality, not a good experience. So crowded you can't even get to the booths to browse. For sure, no place to bring kids or a stroller - so families: Find somewhere else to get your merriment. The only food that had a fairly moving line was pierogies. Which were tasty, but not all the way done (another sign of not anticipating crowds). Operationally, suggestions are: Have the food all in one area with a center court. That way you avoid the log jam of lines along the side; then two way traffic in the aisles. I'd also suggest a "timed entry" approach so that during busy times you at least have some control as to the capacity. Might also be nice to have some earlier "family times" for little ones. Note: There were just two of us (no kids) and it was ridiculous to get around. My comments re: kids is due to the fact that there would be no way I'd let my granddaughter walk along; those with strollers were not only in the way, but mostly at a standstill. In summary, I checked the box. Won't be going back again. And honestly, no where even near an actual European Christmas market.

I attended the Christmas Market in 2022 and loved it, so we planned to hit it again this year! Last year, the organizers had the parking lots underneath Union Depot, and all the lots open to the north of the building. However this year's excitement turned to absolute disappointment for how mismanaged and chaotic it was. We sat in traffic on Kellogg for an hour, assuming a parking lot further north wouldn't be "full." No lots were, and attendees were actively exiting around 6pm. We ended up leaving the line of hundreds of cars and calling it quits. A terrible way to host an event that is located above a transit center. If attendees actually want to enter an event and not wait in their car for an hour when there is an easy solution, don't waste your time with this event. There are plenty of others who can accommodate people actually attending the event!!

Parking was the worst. There were spots in the lot but they closed the lots for some reason. After an hour plus of searching for parking we finally found a spot and had an hour there. The food was out at most places. Lines took extremely long. Overall, fun but could be planned better.

Wife was there on Saturday and made a small purchase with our credit card. Merchant said machine was not able to print receipt. Later that evening two charges for same amount appeared on our card. I disputed one. Now today, Tuesday, two more double charges from Monday showed up from the market. I would not recommend using a credit card there. I will be locking my card.