When foot surgery kept Barbara Talijan off her feet 36 years ago, she turned to bead weaving to pass the time. Today, she runs her bead store Owl Be Beading at 1278 Birchwood Dr. in Bethlehem, which opened in July 2018.
Each year, Talijan takes a two-month break from managing her shop to prepare for her biggest showcase of the year: Christkindlmarkt.
Christkindlmarkt, German for Christmas market, is a Moravian heritage-inspired holiday market hosted by ArtsQuest. Now in its 33rd year, it takes place at the SteelStacks from Nov. 14 to Dec. 21.
Curt Mosel, the chief operating officer at ArtsQuest, said the market began in 1993 after ArtsQuest decided to invest in a large venture following the success of Musikfest, which has been held every August since 1983. He said the market’s goal is to bring more visitors to Bethlehem during the holidays.
Mosel said Christkindlmarkt was originally held near Historic Hotel Bethlehem in the Colonial Industrial Quarter. It moved to the SteelStacks in 2011. An investment in expanding the location’s infrastructure in 2016 significantly grew attendance.
“We realized that if we invest in this program it will grow and generate more revenue, and that will allow ArtsQuest to invest in more programs like it,” Mosel said. “It’s that momentum that we try to grow to allow us to pour more into our programs.”
Today, the market features more than 150 vendors, including artisans, craftspeople and food stands. It includes a glass-blowing experience, kid-focused attractions like “Breakfast with St. Nick” and a new Winter Wonderland, which offers other holiday activities.
This year, Mosel said attendees can rent heated igloos in advance that come with a Bethlehem blanket, a gallon of hot chocolate and the option to order additional food for an added fee.
Mosel also said vendors include both local artists and artisans from Germany and Scotland who craft ornaments, as well as regional holiday cuisines. He said the event reflects the style of traditional German Christkindlmarkts while preserving Bethlehem’s Moravian history.
“I think for those that have grown up here or those that have relatives here, there is a sense of pride,” Mosel said. “Regardless of whether you have German heritage, this is a part of Bethlehem’s history, and we’re trying to showcase that.”
Steve Ott, ArtsQuest’s vice president of operations, said as the market has expanded, parking has become one of the biggest challenges.
Ott said ArtsQuest works with nearby businesses to increase parking availability and hopes the new parking garage on Polk Street will ease the rush.
He also said the influx of people during the weekends is hectic. In the past, he would spend hours “line busting,” or selling tickets directly to people in line to decrease the traffic. In the past, Ott said people would wait over a half an hour in line, but with technology most waits now are no longer than 10 minutes.
Ott said flow has improved through renovations near the visitor center and Levitt Pavilion, including a second entrance and an elevated deck. He also helps place vendors in high-traffic areas and works to ensure customers are able to walk through the market as smoothly as possible.
Christkindlmarkt is open Thursdays through Sundays with a $12 admission fee. On Fridays from 5-8 p.m. entry is free, which Ott said was lengthened from two to three hours to boost attendance.
Mosel said during the market’s first year there were around 1,500 attendees on Fridays. Now, there are around 10,000 people who visit on Fridays.
Ott said although the market attracts many tourists, offering accessible community programming is a priority.
“It is a very expensive thing to put together and to recoup those expenses, but having those days where we’re not worried about that (and) are just worried about having the community out and getting in the spirit means a lot to me,” he said. “I hope the community sees it the same way and feels the same way.”
Mosel said the market generates an estimated $11 million in economic impact each year and drew about 130,000 people in 2024, benefiting nearby hotels, restaurants and shops.
He also said the market provides exposure for many local and out-of-state small business owners with a vendor lineup that’s selected by a jury to ensure diverse offerings.
“A lot of the merchants that we bring in end their year with a good Christkindlmarkt profit,” Ott said. “It’s just great to talk to them and watch it all happen over the course of six weeks.”
Talijan said the market is particularly impactful for her business, bringing customers who return annually to buy her crafted ornaments and snowflakes.
She said she values interactions with non-bead weavers, allowing her to connect with people outside of the community who give her exposure and feedback.
Barbara Talijan sets up her bead-weaving showcase at Christkindlmarkt every year. (Courtesy of Barbara Talijan)
Talijan said she spends a full year preparing her exhibits for the market. She will plan to start creating her 2026 showcase as soon as this year’s Christkindlmart ends.
Although she primarily spends her time managing Owl Be Beading, Talijan said she dedicates time each week to create items for her Christkindlmarkt stand. She said her smallest crafted snowflakes can take one or two hours to make, while her larger projects — like a three-dimensional star she showcased last year — took 30 hours to finish.
Despite the time commitment, Talijan said her passion for her craft keeps her motivated.
“I really love what I do,” she said. “I really do.”