Holiday markets, festivals pop up in Chicago

With only four weeks left until Christmas, holiday markets and festivals are popping up all over the city. Check out some Chicago Christmas favorites to celebrate the season.

From holiday lights and mugs of gluhwein to handmade gifts and caroling in the city, the holiday season has begun in Chicago.

One of a Kind Show

Featuring more than 600 artists and makers, the 19th annual show returns to the seventh floor of the Merchandise Mart Thursday, Dec. 5, through Sunday, Dec. 8. The four-day show offers a variety of hand-crafted specialty items, artwork, food and fashion shows from artists and makers across North America. Attendees will find unique pieces in a variety of media or categories including accessories, bath and body, ceramics, fashion, fiber art, furniture, glass, gourmet, holiday, jewelry, kids, metal, mixed media, paintings, pet products, photography, sculpture and wood. There are also artists demonstrations and crafting workshops.

For more information or tickets, visit oneofakindshowchicago.com.

Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden will light up the night with Lightscape – a mile-long path where visitors can walk through a variety of multi-sensory light installations from artists around the world. This installation features a variety of displays including Cathedral of Light – a towering cathedral of 100,000 lights that is set along a 110-foot tunnel. Additionally, visitors can toast marshmallows over a fire and sip hot chocolate and cider as they walk through the lights.

Lightscape is open through Jan. 5.

For more information or tickets, visit chicagobotanic.org/lightscape.

Chirstkindlmarket Chicago

Now in its 24th year, the open-air holiday market inspired by the 16th century Christkindlesmarket in Nuremberg, Germany, recently opened at its traditional space in Daley Plaza as well as at Winterland at Gallagher Way in Wrigleyville and downtown Milwaukee.

The popular markets, which drew 1.9 million visitors in 2018, offer a selection of holiday gifts from local vendors as well as authentic German food and mulled wine called Gluhwein.

For more information, including hours, visit christkindlmarket.com

Other events to mark on your calendar:

Caroling at Cloud Gate

6-7 p.m. Fridays, Nov. 29-Dec. 20

Millenium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/caroling_at_cloudgate.html

Home Alone in Concert

Dec. 6-8

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago

https://order.cso.org/10226

The 36th Annual Music Box Christmas Sing-A-Long & Double Feature

Dec. 12-Dec. 24

Music Box Theatre

3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago

https://musicboxtheatre.com/events/the-36th-annual-music-box-christmas-sing-a-long-double-feature

About the Author: Heather Warthen is Chief Events Officer and Chief Marketing Officer for 22nd Century Media, an award- winning media company specializing in hyperlocal content in Chicagoland. Hired as its first employee in 2005, she is a former award-winning journalist and photographer who now manages the planning, logistics, marketing and executing of more than a dozen community events and expos. She serves on the 2019-2020 MPI-CAC Board of Directors as Director Marketing & Public Relations.