Christkindlmarket Aurora 2026: Dates, Hours & Parking
The biggest of the three Chicagoland Christkindlmarkets opens Friday, November 20 in Aurora — and for Bartlett families it is the suburban one, with free admission, a free parking lot, and a train station across the street.
By Bartlett Guide · Published November 4, 2026
If christkindlmarket aurora 2026 is on your search list, here is the short version: the German Christmas market at RiverEdge Park runs November 20 through December 24, Thursdays through Sundays, and admission is free. Aurora is back for its fifth season and is the largest of the three markets, with more than 60 vendors. This is also a milestone year for the whole event — the original Daley Plaza market in Chicago turns 30 in 2026. Below: Aurora's exact hours, the parking lots that cost $3, $10, or nothing, and how the two Chicago markets compare.
Christkindlmarket Aurora 2026 dates and hours
Christkindlmarket Aurora — RiverEdge Park, Nov. 20–Dec. 24
The market fills RiverEdge Park on the Fox River in downtown Aurora with wooden stalls selling ornaments, gifts, bratwurst, and Glühwein — the imported mulled wine the organizers call a signature of the event. Unlike the Chicago markets, Aurora does not run daily: it is a Thursday-to-Sunday market, so plan around that.
Three special-hours notes are worth putting on the calendar now. The market adds Wednesday, November 25 (11 a.m.–7 p.m.) for Thanksgiving week. Thanksgiving Day, November 26, and Christmas Eve, December 24 both run short days, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. And in the final stretch it opens Monday, December 21 through Wednesday, December 23, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Opening day, Friday, November 20, falls in the regular Friday slot, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
Parking for Christkindlmarket Aurora 2026: $3, $10, or free
The organizers publish four official parking options, and the spread matters if you are driving down from Bartlett:
- Aurora Transportation Center main lot — $10. 233 North Broadway, right across from RiverEdge Park. Pay stations take cards or exact-change cash; space is limited.
- ATC overflow lot — $3. 130 N. Lincoln Ave. A pedestrian tunnel runs under the tracks and comes out at the main lot, directly across from the park.
- River Street lots — $10. 309 N. River St., on the west side of the river; enter the park over the pedestrian bridge.
- Lot Y — free. 125 N. River St. Free parking, with park access via the same pedestrian bridge.
Handicap parking is available in the Transportation Center and River Street lots. On a Saturday in December, the $3 overflow and the free Lot Y are the value plays — arrive early either way.
Getting to Christkindlmarket Aurora from Bartlett
One honest transit note: Bartlett's own station is on Metra's Milwaukee District West Line, and Aurora sits on a different line, so there is no single-train ride from downtown Bartlett. The market's own parking guide points drivers who do take the train to the BNSF Line, which stops at the Aurora Transportation Center at 233 North Broadway — from there it is a short walk north on Broadway to RiverEdge Park. Metra's weekend and family fare options apply on that line. For most Bartlett households this is a drive; pick your lot from the list above before you leave, and keep our Bartlett Christmas 2026 guide open for the rest of the season's local dates.
The other two Christkindlmarkets: Daley Plaza and Wrigleyville
Daley Plaza, Chicago — daily, Nov. 20–Dec. 24
The original market, celebrating its 30th season at 50 W. Washington St. It runs daily: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., with 11 a.m.–4 p.m. hours on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Admission is free. This is the one Bartlett's Metra line does serve well — the Milwaukee District West runs straight to Chicago Union Station.
Gallagher Way, Wrigleyville — daily, Nov. 20–Dec. 31
The longest-running of the three, open through New Year's Eve as part of Winterland at Gallagher Way. Hours are Monday–Thursday 3–9 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve run 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Christmas Day is closed, and December 31 closes at 4 p.m.
Closer to home while you wait for Nov. 20
The market is still two weeks out, and Bartlett has two smaller holiday-shopping dates of its own. The Harvest at the Hollow Craft and Vendor Fair runs Saturday, November 14, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Hawk Hollow Middle School, 235 Jacaranda Drive. Arts in Bartlett hosts a Holiday Pop Up Shop on Saturday, November 28 at 10 a.m. at 215 S. Main St. Both are on our Bartlett events page, and our things to do in Bartlett IL in November guide puts them in the full month's order.
Christkindlmarket Aurora 2026: quick questions
When is Christkindlmarket Aurora in 2026?
It runs Friday, November 20 through Thursday, December 24, 2026, at RiverEdge Park in Aurora. It is open Thursdays through Sundays only — Thursdays 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m.–6 p.m. — plus Wednesday, November 25 and Monday–Wednesday, December 21–23.
Is Christkindlmarket Aurora free?
Yes — admission is free at all three Christkindlmarket locations in 2026. You pay only for food, drinks, and gifts, plus parking if you drive: official lots near RiverEdge Park run $10, $3, or free (Lot Y, 125 N. River St.).
Where do I park for Christkindlmarket Aurora?
The organizers list four options: the Aurora Transportation Center main lot ($10, 233 North Broadway), the ATC overflow lot ($3, 130 N. Lincoln Ave, with a pedestrian tunnel to the park side), the River Street lots ($10, 309 N. River St.), and free Lot Y (125 N. River St.). The River Street lots and Lot Y reach the park over a pedestrian bridge.
Which Christkindlmarket is biggest?
Aurora. The organizers describe the RiverEdge Park market as the largest of the three 2026 locations, with more than 60 vendors, in its fifth season. Daley Plaza is the original and marks its 30th season in 2026; Wrigleyville runs the longest, through December 31.
Can I take a train from Bartlett to Christkindlmarket Aurora?
Not on one train — Bartlett is on Metra's Milwaukee District West Line, while Aurora is served by the BNSF Line, which stops at the Aurora Transportation Center across from RiverEdge Park. Bartlett's Metra line is the straightforward train option for the Daley Plaza market in downtown Chicago instead.
Sources & verification. Details verified November 4, 2026 against organizer listings; hours and prices change — confirm before heading out.
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