(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Christkindlmarket hosted its second weekend in Old Colorado City. The event, featuring 10 handcrafted wooden vendor huts, offers authentic German food, drinks, and cultural entertainment over ten days, remaining free and open to the public.
The market faced mixed reviews during its opening weekend, with attendees highlighting issues such as crowd control, long lines, and limited seating. In response, organizers expanded the venue’s perimeters, added more seating, and increased the number of vendors to enhance the experience for visitors.
Miles Barco and his family experienced the event’s crowded conditions during its inaugural weekend, and said it was so crowded that he could not get a German pretzel. “When it opened, it was pretty packed. Everybody was rushing in. So, it was kind of overwhelming, and the lines were very long,” said the Barco family. They found the improvements this weekend much better: “It’s even more encouraging that it’s been opened up and widened and that people are making their way around.”
After implementing changes, attendees voiced more positive experiences. Ron Sheline shared, “I think that I have the largest wagon that they make on the market right now for my three kids. And we haven’t bumped into a single person. Parking was easy.”
The market’s goal is to support local businesses, and vendors are reporting a surge in interest. “Amazing. I love people. Love it. People really love it,” said Anna Berry, a vendor of Polish Pottery.
Despite improvements, Miles was still unable to get his pretzel, but he remains hopeful. “Last weekend,d there were pretzels, but it was so crowded that we were not able to get any,” they noted…