Ishpeming plans European-style Christmas market for 2026

Holiday festivities abound across the U.P., but there is nothing along the lines of an authentic European-style Christmas market. 

Ishpeming plans to change that. 

A coalition of local residents and business owners plan to unveil the first-ever Ishpeming Kriskindlmarkt during the 2026 holiday season.

Inspired by traditional European holiday markets and similar events found in larger Midwestern cities, the Ishpeming Kriskindlmarkt will be the first Christmas market of its kind in the U.P.

Organizers plan to host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the inaugural market on Black Friday, Nov. 27, 2026. Visitors can expect a village of decorated wooden huts selling mulled wine, Finnish and German fare, as well as local crafts, including toys and ornaments. 

“No community in the U.P. has wooden huts and lights like you’d find at a European Christmas market,” says Kevin Corkin, who is founder and chairman of Ishpeming Kriskindlmarkt. “This festive market will bring families and community together for a truly magical celebration.”

What’s happening: A coalition is working to launch a Kriskindlmarkt in downtown Ishpeming during the 2026 holidays. The coalition has partnered with the Lake Superior Community Partnership Foundation to create the U.P.’s first European-style Christmas market. The market will be held outside The Mather, a former hotel that is now a lounge.

The market: The Ishpeming Kriskindlmarkt will be held two consecutive weekends in 2026. Artisan vendors will sell food and crafts in a village of about 20 huts in the parking lot outside The Mather. Other amenities planned include a sledding hill, a kids craft corner, a beer tent, hot cocoa, bonfires, and musical entertainment.

The backstory: Corkin, an Ishpeming resident who grew up in Wisconsin and attended Northern Michigan University, became familiar with Christmas markets while pursuing a career in Wisconsin. He found visiting Christmas markets in Wisconsin communities and in Chicago uplifting, festive and community building.

“Going with friends and family, it was about community, not so much about the vendors. We loved the atmosphere – the food, the mulled wine, bon fires and a bunch of people outside in the winter,” he recalls. 

Ishpeming: Corkin and his family moved to Ishpeming about three years ago. He is an advancement officer for the Northern Michigan University Foundation. While getting to know locals and making friends, memories of visiting Christmas markets kept popping up, eventually leading to the idea of creating one in Ishpeming. “We’ve been asking about a market like this for years – there’s no traditional European Christmas market that we could find in the U.P.,” he says. 

Market progress: After the coalition was formed, work began on building the first hut. The hut was designed and built by Northern Michigan University Construction Management seniors. The Kriskindlmarkt steering committee is actively raising funds to construct 20 or more huts in advance of the 2026 market season.

Hut sponsors: The coalition is seeking sponsors for each hut. For $3,000, a sponsor can have one sponsored in their name, company name or in memory of a loved one. Each sponsorship is a one-time $3,000 gift and includes a custom wooden ornament plaque on the hut with the inscription of choice. The sponsorship lasts for the lifetime of the hut. “We will also recognize and promote each sponsor on our social media platforms and website,” Corkin says.

Vendors: The goal is to recruit local vendors who will sell a mix of the traditional fare, such as soft pretzels and mulled wine, and crafts found at many Christmas markets. Prospective vendors include toymakers and ornament creators. The committee is also looking to tap the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce to help create a more Finnish theme for the market. “We want to put a Finnish spin on the market with Finnish foods and drinks,” Corkin says. 

Preview: The public can get a preview of the Kriskindlmarkt experience during the current holiday season. One of the wooden vendor huts planned for the market is on display at the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Main Street. The hut will host hot chocolate and cookies for sale from Doozers during Ishpeming’s Santa Village, from 5:00–7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 18.