If you are searching for an easy way to get into the holiday spirit, look no further! An annual tradition in downtown Birmingham is the Birmingham Winter Markt. Located in Shain Park, the holiday-themed market has been a city staple for years. This market normally takes place for one weekend in early December. It has a German theme, featuring German food vendors and other German booths.
This year, the market began on Friday, December 6 and was open until Sunday, December 8 until four. To kick off this beloved tradition, there is always a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in the center of the market on Friday evening. The large tree shines throughout the whole weekend as a symbol of the winter spirit. As a market-goer, you can expect to see multiple streets lined with the tents of various local vendors. Most of the businesses’ tents offer small products, often featuring items such as clothing, art, games, snacks and other trinkets that make perfect and unique gifts for the holidays. Another feature of the market are its daily, complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides. The magical ride takes you on a short trip through scenic parts of the downtown area. The Birmingham Winter Markt is perfect for the entire family, complete with a visit from Santa and a Snow Queen on Saturday afternoon, and a ‘Biergarten’ (Beer Garden) tent open all weekend long. In the center of the market, across from the Christmas tree, a stage is set up for the different performers that come and go throughout the weekend. The market hosts choirs from local schools, from as young as elementary students all the way up to our very own Groves High School choir. The holiday music, broadcasted over the speakers, makes for a perfect soundtrack as you walk around.
Regardless of all the amenities discussed so far, the clear highlight of the Birmingham Winter Markt— for me— is always the fresh and delicious food. As mentioned previously, the market has an overarching German theme, which is prominent in the realm of food vendors. I went to the market on the evening of Saturday, December 7. As soon as I walked in, I knew exactly where I was headed; Hotz Catering Service is a popular food tent that sells common German dishes for everyone to enjoy. Popular menu items include a selection of different sausages, German Potato pancakes and German macaroni. On this particular evening, I ordered a bratwurst, potato pancakes and a cup of German mac and cheese. Upon receiving my food, I dressed my bratwurst at the condiment station and headed to a heated seating area. Each food item filled my mouth with an explosion of flavor and I could tell each and every bite was cooked with authenticity and tradition. Fellow market-goer, John Foret, also enjoyed his annual helping of Hotz Catering Service.
“I was thoroughly impressed. The potato pancakes are always one of the highlights of the Winter Market for me. The bratwurst was solid, as well, with a wide range of toppings provided. The German Mac n’ Cheese was incredibly savory,” Foret said.
After my dinner at Hotz, I knew I needed to find a sweet treat. What is a better way to satisfy your sweet tooth, while also seeking warmth from brisk weather conditions, than to help yourself to a nice cup of hot chocolate? I made my way over to another tent: Knucklehead Coffee Company. Acting as a refuge from the cold, this heated tent sold many delicious, and more importantly, warm beverages. The menu offered coffee, hot cocoa, hot cider and mocha— all for the reasonable price of five dollars. I ordered hot cocoa for a traditional winter treat. I found the warm drink to be very pleasant. Foret shared similar opinions.
“It was quite good. I would have preferred fresh marshmallows over dried, and it was more of a dark hot chocolate, than a milk-chocolate-based one. But, it was well done,” Foret said.
To conclude my evening in Birmingham, I wanted to support one more small business and get another treat for the road. As a final destination, I stopped at the Sugar Honey Macaron stand, a mobile macaron business based in Michigan. There were many unique and delicious flavors to choose from, but I ended up going with the seasonal flavor, Santa’s Cookie. The macaron was the perfect way to end the night, with a rich vanilla center surrounded by two perfectly crispy cookies.
After going to the Birmingham Winter Markt for as many years as I can remember, I can safely say that if you live in the Metro-Detroit area, heading to Shain Park during this special weekend is a better way than ever, to prepare for the holidays!
