It’s only September, but it’s never too early to spread a little Christmas cheer — or begin planning for the upcoming holiday season.
And for anyone already making those plans, Cullman just added another reason to put the North Alabama city on the Christmas list.
Travel + Leisure has named the Cullman Christkindlmarkt one of the 10 coolest Christmas markets in the country for 2026 — and the only one in the South to make the list.
Cullman finds itself in some well-known Christmas company. The magazine’s list also includes markets in New York City; Chicago; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Carmel, Indiana; Leavenworth, Washington; Silverton, Oregon; Cambria, California; Rochester, New York; and Kennebunkport, Maine.
“Cullman Christkindlmarkt is a remarkable Alabama tourism success story,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “In only a few years, it has grown into a nationally recognized destination that welcomes visitors from all 50 states while celebrating Cullman’s German heritage and the Southern hospitality that makes Alabama special.”
The Travel + Leisure recognition is only the latest honor for a Christmas celebration that has been collecting plenty of attention this year.
In May, the Alabama Tourism Department named Cullman Christkindlmarkt its 2026 Event of the Year, recognizing its impact on tourism, community engagement and economic development.
Then came Hallmark.
Cullman was selected as one of 25 finalists nationwide in Hallmark’s Merriest Christmas Towns Contest and was the only Alabama community in the running. Public voting ended Sept. 4, but votes alone do not determine the winner. A panel of judges will consider community spirit, holiday traditions, neighborhood charm and goodwill, with the winner expected to be announced on or around Oct. 31. The winning community will also have an opportunity to serve as a filming location for a Hallmark movie.
For a Christmas market that started with just eight wooden huts and 5,000 visitors in 2019, the national attention marks quite a transformation. Travel + Leisure reported the Christkindlmarkt welcomed more than 415,000 visitors in 2025.
But Cullman’s connection to a German Christmas goes back much further.
Founded by German settlers in 1873, the city has long celebrated its German heritage. When Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism began developing the Christkindlmarkt, its teams traveled to Germany and visited Christmas markets in Nuremberg, Rothenburg, Stuttgart, Dresden and other cities to study their food, craftsmanship, layouts and traditions.
That influence can now be seen throughout the sprawling holiday attraction.
One of its most recognizable features is the world’s largest walk-through Schwibbogen, a traditional German Christmas candle arch modeled after the one at Dresden’s Christmas market. The Cullman arch measures 47 feet, 5 inches wide and 24 feet, 4 inches tall.
The 2025 market also included nearly 80 merchants and European-style food vendors, Alabama’s largest outdoor ice rink, a 108-foot Ferris wheel, a Venetian-style double-decker carousel and a 100-foot tubing slide. German-inspired foods included flammkuchen, or German pizza, chimney cakes and raclette.
And while the market continues to grow, Nathan Anderson, executive director of Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism, said when the Alabama Tourism Department named the Christkindlmarkt its 2026 Event of the Year that its purpose remains close to home.
“The Cullman Christkindlmarkt was built first and foremost to create a special experience for our community during the holiday season. What makes this recognition so meaningful is that while the event has grown into a major tourism destination, it has never lost sight of its purpose — bringing people together, celebrating traditions, and creating memories for families here in Cullman. We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition from the Alabama Tourism Department,” Anderson said.
This year’s Cullman Christkindlmarkt opens Nov. 19 and runs through Dec. 23 at Depot Park in downtown Cullman. Admission is free.
Christmas may still be a couple of months away, but in Cullman, there are already plenty of reasons to start counting down.
Sherri Blevins is a reporter for 256 Today.
Got a tip for OTR? Send your tip to [email protected] with related photo/video, your name, phone number, and e-mail address.
