Peter Gordon shows off his hand-crafted wooden toys at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Crafted ornaments on display at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo By Terry Foster
Klaus Wehrenberg celebrates his 22nd year at the Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo be Terry Foster
Heidi Potzauf and Paul Schneider celebrate their 22nd year at the Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Ken Daley displays his artwork at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Frank Shilling shows off his hand-crafted wooden toys at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Blown glass ornaments at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Visitors shop for local crafts at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo By Terry Foster
Visitors enjoy the skating rink at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
A crowd of people gather to watch the lighting of the tree at Kitchener City Hall during the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Visitors check out the model train display at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Kitchener City Hall was filled to capacity during the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Anthony Foster tries Klaus Wehrenberg’s music grinder at the Christkindl Market. Photo by Terry Foster
Christkindl hands out chocolates to children at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Shania Nixon celebrates her fourth year playing Christkindl at the annual Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Christkindl hands out chocolates to children at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont.. Photo by Terry Foster
Spectators gather to watch the entertainers at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
People gather to watch the blacksmithing demonstration by the Ontario Artist Blacksmith Association at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont.. Photo by Terry Foster
The fire gets hot for a blacksmithing demonstration at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
The Ontario Artist Blacksmith Association puts on a demonstration at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Traditional blacksmithing demonstration at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Kids build crafts inside the giant igloo at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Mary and Joseph characters at the Nativity scene at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Klaus Wehrenberg celebrates his 22nd year at the Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo be Terry Foster
Klaus Wehrenberg celebrates his 22nd year at the Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo be Terry Foster
Shoppers enjoy the vendors at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
A look at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Shoppers enjoy the vendors at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Kitchener City Hall was filled to capacity at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Shoppers enjoy the vendors at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
People pose for photos with Christkindl at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Children perform at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
A look at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
People line up for food at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Families enjoy the ice at Kitchener City Hall during the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
Decorations lined the street at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster
For the past four days, Kitchener City Hall has opened its doors to the public and presented vendors and entertainers from all over the region to showcase their Christmas spirit in one of Canada’s oldest and largest German Christmas festivals.
For the past 22 years, volunteers have come together to bring German Christmas traditions to the KW area. The festival features one-of-a-kind gifts and handmade crafts, sure to put a smile on the faces of children and adults alike.
Displays such as Fred Aldred’s model trains have become a staple at the event and are a tradition passed down from Aldred’s late father, who started showing off the trains at the festival back in 2007.
“I loved doing this event with my father and seen how much the kids enjoyed it. After my dad passed away, I knew I needed to continue the tradition,” said Aldred.
Visitors check out the model train display at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster, Spoke News
There were traditional German steam powered toy displays by Helmut Banderob, who has been showing off his collection since the beginning of the festival.
“I do this because of the tradition and because of the memories for older generations like mine who remember getting toys like this for Christmas. It’s always the people over 80 that enjoy my toys the most, but I love doing it for the kids too,” said Banderob.
Other familiar faces who have been residents of the festival since its conception are Paul Schneider and Heidi Potzauf from Radio Herz, Kitchener’s oldest all-German radio station, traditional handmade wooden toymakers Peter Gordon and Marlene and Frank Schilling, and, of course, Hurdy Gurdy Klaus, the German music grinder.
There was also a live blacksmith demonstration by the Ontario Artist Blacksmith Association that drew a large crowd all weekend. Skilled hobbyists created items from raw steel and handed them out to children as they watched in amazement.
Traditional blacksmithing demonstration at the 2018 Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ont. Photo by Terry Foster, Spoke News
Kitchener youth Shania Nixon graciously played the iconic role of Christkindl for the fourth year in a row and says that she intends to continue for as long as she is asked to perform the part.
Kitchener’s Festival of Lights also drew a crowd just up the road at Victoria Park, where the public could enjoy music and colourful displays and get their photo taken with Santa before enjoying a free horse-drawn carriage ride through the park.
If you missed out on the festivities this year, you can always put it in your calendar for 2019, as the festival is sure to return next winter. In the meantime, here are some highlights from the event.
