The ice rink at Riverside Crossing Park opens for the season on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Three days later, a set of wooden huts opens in the same park. Christkindlmarkt Dublin starts Saturday, Nov. 21, and runs through Christmas Eve. It is the city's first German-style Christmas market, and admission is free.
The market changes how Dublin's holiday season is laid out. In December the rink's extra hours and the market's weeknight hours match almost exactly. For five weeks, the park at the base of the Dublin Link is open on weeknights in a way it has not been before. Bridge Park's own holiday calendar mostly runs on Saturday mornings and afternoons. That leaves Dublin's December split mostly by time of day, with daytime events in Bridge Park and evenings in the park, and one evening crawl as the exception.
The rink and the market keep almost the same hours
The rink's regular schedule is Friday 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday noon to 8 p.m., from Nov. 20 through March 14. Skating costs $15 per person, and skate rental is included. That price stays the same if you bring your own skates.
The market's regular schedule is Wednesday and Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday noon to 8 p.m. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
On paper, the rink only covers weekends. The city's special operating hours for the rink fill in the rest, and in December they line up with the market's schedule nearly day for day.
| Date | Ice rink | Christkindlmarkt |
|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 25 | Noon to 8 p.m. | Noon to 9 p.m. |
| Thu., Nov. 26 | Not on the rink schedule | Closed for Thanksgiving |
| Wed. and Thu., Dec. 2 and 3 | 4 to 9 p.m. | 4 to 9 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Noon to 9 p.m. | Noon to 9 p.m. |
| Wed. and Thu., Dec. 9 and 10 | 4 to 9 p.m. | 4 to 9 p.m. |
| Wed. and Thu., Dec. 16 and 17 | 4 to 9 p.m. | 4 to 9 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 18 | Noon to 8 p.m. | Noon to 9 p.m. |
| Mon. to Wed., Dec. 21 to 23 | Noon to 9 p.m. | Noon to 9 p.m. |
| Thu., Dec. 24 | Noon to 4 p.m. | Noon to 4 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 25 | Closed | Closed |
In practice, every Wednesday and Thursday from Dec. 2 through Dec. 17, both open at 4 p.m. and close at 9 p.m. A family can skate and then eat at the market in one trip, with no need to check two schedules. Both also open on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 21 and 22, which are normally closed days for the market. Both close at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Weekends have a smaller gap. On regular Fridays, the market opens at noon and the rink opens at 5 p.m., so a Friday lunch at the huts won't include skating. All hours on the city page can change with the weather.
Familiar Dublin names in the huts
The market comes from a 2022 city feasibility study and a competitive selection process. Christkindlmarkt Dublin, LLC was chosen to develop and run it. The City of Dublin's announcement presents it as a regional draw for day-trippers and overnight visitors. CEO Maria Adele Rosenfeld told the city she wants it to be "a place people return to every year because of how it makes them feel."
The vendor announcement includes several local businesses:
- Die Creperie, also known as Holy Crepes, from Dublin
- Der Französische Laden, or The French Store, also from Dublin
- Say Yes Pretzels, from Columbus
- The Red Stable, from German Village
- BrewDog Brewing Company, with a private-label Christkindlmarkt Dublin Dunkel in cans, plus its Winter Staycation Pecan and Toffee Stout and an Ohio Pilsner
Other vendors bring German and European dishes. The list includes raclette scraped from the wheel over crusty bread, German döner kebab, schnitzel, Käsespätzle, bratwurst, Bavarian pretzels, Kartoffelpuffer, Flammkuchen, and Baumstriezel.
The Glühwein is imported from Germany. The drinks lineup includes a red mulled wine at 10% ABV, blueberry and cherry versions at 9.5% each, an elderflower version at 7.5%, and Feuerzangenbowle at 9%. Feuerzangenbowle is made by setting a rum-soaked sugar cone alight above the warm wine and letting the caramelized sugar drip in. You can add an extra shot of rum.
Many skaters will be kids, so the alcohol-free list matters. It has Kinderpunsch, a warm punch of currant, orange, cherry, and apple. There is also Belgian hot chocolate and sipping chocolate in gingerbread, raspberry, and merry mint, plus hot apple cider, a cider latte, and Santa Clausthaler, a zero-proof cranberry-cinnamon beer.
The retail huts sell Black Forest cuckoo clocks, beer steins, hand-painted Polish pottery, German nutcrackers, Erzgebirge folk art, paper star lanterns, and mouth-blown glass ornaments. This is the first year of a limited-edition collectible mug, a boot shape that is sold only during its own season, and an official ornament. The market has not posted a mug price yet.
Bridge Park's calendar stays on weekend days
Across Riverside Drive, the Bridge Park events calendar has a different rhythm. Halloween is the one evening event set in the park itself. After that, almost everything is on Saturday morning or early afternoon:
- Sat., Oct. 31, 6 to 10 p.m. Cinema Saturdays at Riverside Crossing Park, showing Coco and Wicked: For Good.
- Sat., Nov. 7, 9 a.m. to noon. The Dublin Market's fall Harvest Market.
- Sat., Nov. 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Autumn Fest at North Market Bridge Park, with more than 25 local vendors.
- Sat., Dec. 5, noon to 3 p.m. Merry Market, which is free and has more than 120 artisans, Santa photos, and carolers.
- Sun., Dec. 6 and 13, 10 a.m. to noon. Santa Brunch at Fado, 6652 Riverside Drive.
- Sat., Dec. 12, 6 to 9 p.m. The Downtown Dublin Ugly Sweater Crawl, across Bridge Park and Historic Dublin.
- Sat., Dec. 19, noon to 3 p.m. Santa in the Park.
In December, most of these end by mid-afternoon. On Dec. 5, Merry Market closes at 3 p.m., while the huts and rink stay open until 9. On Dec. 19, Santa in the Park ends at 3 p.m. with six hours of market and skating still to go. On those Saturdays you can start in Bridge Park, cross the Dublin Link, and finish the day at the park without driving anywhere. The Ugly Sweater Crawl on Dec. 12 is the one Bridge Park evening that overlaps the market's busiest hours.
December 6 is the busiest day
Sunday, Dec. 6, has the most going on. Fado's Santa Brunch runs that morning. That evening from 6 to 8 p.m., the market holds Sankt Nikolaustag, the traditional St. Nicholas Day, and it is the only special program the market has announced. The same evening, the German Village Society holds Village Lights from 4 to 8 p.m. at 588 S. Third Street Platz. Dublin households with ties to German Village will have to choose between them, since the two events overlap for two hours.
The market's entertainment page still lists its performer schedule as coming soon, so more programs may be added before Nov. 21.
Getting there
The market's address is 6694 Riverside Drive. Huts will be set up throughout the park. The rink is in the park's lower plaza, on the east side of the Dublin Link pedestrian bridge. The city's August announcement said on-street parking and the Downtown Dublin garages, including Bridge Park, Bridge Park West, and Rock Cress, would be available. The market's plan-your-visit page says it will post parking locations, rideshare drop-off, and wayfinding details there, so check it before your first visit.
After Christmas Eve
The huts close at 4 p.m. on Dec. 24 and the market's season is over. The rink reopens on Saturday, Dec. 26, and stays open daily from noon to 9 p.m. through Dec. 30. On New Year's Eve it closes at 4 p.m., and on Jan. 1 it opens from 4 to 9 p.m. After that it goes back to its regular Friday-through-Sunday hours, plus one extra opening from noon to 8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 18. It closes for the season on Sunday, March 14. The boot mug will be sold only this season, and each year after will have its own design.
If you have family coming to town in December, our team at The Anne DeVoe Group is glad to help you plan a Dublin evening around the market and the rink. When you're ready to talk about your own plans in Dublin, schedule a free consultation and we'll start there.
