Christkindlmarket is packing up early this year.
The winter storm arriving Thursday in the greater Chicago area has forced the beloved holiday marketplace in Daley Plaza to close down two days early, meaning those waiting till Thursday night, Friday or Saturday to visit will be out of luck.
The Aurora location is also shuttering ahead of time, and the Wrigleyville market is closing for the weekend but will reopen next week.
The markets in Daley Plaza and at RiverEdge Park in Aurora will be closing for the season at 4 p.m. Thursday. Both locations had originally been scheduled to remain open through Christmas Eve.
“At the Christkindlmarket, safety takes top priority. We ask the public to stay safe and indoors,” a statement on the event website read in part on Wednesday.
The Wrigleyville location at Gallagher Way, 3635 N. Clark St., will be closed Thursday through Sunday. It will reopen Monday with daily hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Dec. 30. The market will be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
The Daley Plaza Christkindlmarket, based on famed outdoor European Christmas markets, began 26 years ago and features nearly 50 vendor booths underneath the familiar red-and-white-striped kiosk rooftops in the shadow of the Daley Plaza’s Picasso statue. Marketgoers shop for myriad holiday gift items including ornaments, hand-carved figurines, traditional German foods and baked goods, and those highly sought-after, collectible Christkindlmarket mugs filled with either mulled wine or hot chocolate.
Further updates on the Wrigleyville Christkindlmarket location will be available at gallagherway.com.
Other closures
Lincoln Park Zoo announced it will be closed Friday, and its “ZooLights” festival will be canceled Friday due to the extreme weather conditions. Ticketholders for the Dec. 23 date are being notified via email with more information.
The Shedd Aquarium will close at 2 p.m. Thursday.
Secretary of State offices and driver services facilities will close at 1 p.m. Thursday. They will reopen Tuesday.
