Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market is back for 2026, and it's the biggest authentic German market you'll find outside Germany and Austria. It's the most obvious sign of the twinning between Birmingham and Frankfurt that started in 1966, and for some context, the first record of the original Frankfurt market goes all the way back to 1393.
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It runs for seven weeks, from Thursday 5 November to Christmas Eve, and stays closed on Christmas Day. On Mondays to Thursdays it's open 11:00 to 21:00, with Fridays and Saturdays going until 21:30 and Sundays 10:00 to 21:00. On Remembrance Sunday, 8 November, it opens later at 13:00 as a mark of respect.
The layout is the main thing to know before you go. The stalls sit across Victoria Square, in front of the Town Hall and the Council House, and along New Street between Corporation Street and the Bullring. Because of ongoing public realm works on Bennetts Hill and Temple Street, there are no stalls between the Apple store and Nando's on New Street, so the market picks up again beyond Corporation Street, with extra craft stalls along High Street.
Over in Centenary Square, next to the Library of Birmingham, the Big Wheel and the ice rink run daily from 5 November to 3 January, closed on Christmas Day, from 10:00 to 22:00. The rink is undercover with 600 square metres of real ice, and tickets are at iceskatebirmingham.co.uk. The wheel gives you a look over the Library, Council House, Town Hall, the Cube and Brindley Place.
Food and drink are what most people come for: schnitzel, bratwurst, pretzels, Stollen, strudel and gingerbread, washed down with glühwein, weissbier or hot chocolate. There are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, so it's worth asking vendors about cross-contamination. For entertainment, there's a live music programme on the Victoria Square stage, with lunchtime and evening sessions on weekdays, a varied weekend line-up from 12:00 to 18:00, community choirs in the mornings and a new talent showcase on Monday evenings. Chris Moose, the singing Christmas moose, stands right in front of the Council House entrance.
Getting in and around is straightforward. Entry is free, no tickets needed for the stalls. It's wheelchair accessible, with accessible toilets near the stage in Victoria Square, electric scooters to hire and well-behaved dogs on a lead. Weekdays and Sunday afternoons are generally quieter if you want to avoid the crowds.
On transport, Birmingham New Street station is at one end of the market, and coach drop-off is at Margaret Street, with coach parking at Brewery Street needing to be pre-booked. The city centre is inside the Clean Air Zone, so non-compliant vehicles pay £8 a day, with a £120 penalty if it's not paid. Parking is best booked ahead, as it gets busy on the opening weekend and December Saturdays, especially the last one before Christmas, 19 December. JustPark has spaces near Victoria Square, Paradise Circus and New Street from about £1.20 an hour or £6 a day.
A couple of practical notes: December temperatures usually sit between 2°C and 8°C, so warm clothes are a must, and bringing your own reusable wine mug is a good shout. For everything else, thebfcm.co.uk is the place to check.
Published Date
21 October 2026
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