Dallas Christmas Market 2026: Texas Christkindl in Arlington

There isn’t a German-style Dallas Christmas Market in the city itself. Locals mean the one in Arlington, on a plaza between the Rangers’ ballpark and the Cowboys’ stadium. It’s free to get in, and it’s small enough to see in an hour or two. Weekend afternoons are best, when school choirs and the German Band of North Texas take turns on the stage.

Texas Christkindl Market in Arlington

Dates

Status: Confirmed
Dates: 20th to 22nd November and 27th November to 23rd December 2026
Last checked: October 2026

Update: Dates were announced in January. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of changes.

Source: Verified by Ultimate Christmas Markets via Texas Christkindl Market.

Plan Your Visit

Location and Times

Location: North Plaza outside Globe Life Field, 1650 E Randol Mill Road, Arlington, TX
Opening times: 11am to 8pm.
Christmas Day: Closed.

Travel and Accommodation

Recommended tour: See the highlights on this small group van tour of Dallas.
Public transport: There’s no train to the stadiums. From Dallas, take the TRE commuter train from Union Station to CentrePort/DFW Airport, then book an Arlington On-Demand shared ride in the Arlington Transportation app. Neither runs on Sundays.
Parking: Free in Lot B, except on days with events at Globe Life Field or AT&T Stadium.
Where to stay: Kimpton Pittman Hotel is a highly-rated hotel in Dallas.

Amenities and Attractions

Admission: Free, no tickets required.
Santa: Yes. Photos with Santa are available.
Ice skating: No.

Dietary Options

Vegetarian: Yes, plenty of options.
Vegan: Yes, some options.
Gluten-free: Yes, but limited.
Food specialities: Schnitzel, bratwurst, cinnamon-sugar roasted nuts, funnel cakes and glühwein.

Accessibility

Accessible: Yes.
Pet-friendly: Not recommended.

Convenient Hotels

If you’d rather stay in Dallas and drive out to Arlington for the market, I recommend the Kimpton Pittman Hotel in Deep Ellum, on the edge of downtown. It’s in the old Knights of Pythias Temple, built by the architect it’s named after, the first Black architect to practise in Texas. The neighbourhood’s bars and live music venues are right outside.

Recommended Tours

I suggest this small group van tour of Dallas. In three hours it takes in Dealey Plaza, the bronze longhorns of Pioneer Plaza and the Arts District, which suits you if you’re based in the city and only heading to Arlington for the market.

For something different, this Tex-Mex food tour shows you the city through what it eats.

What to Expect

The market sets up on the North Plaza outside Globe Life Field, where the Texas Rangers play baseball, in Arlington’s Entertainment District. AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, is a short walk away, so it’s an odd backdrop for wooden huts and German folk music. Arlington sits between Dallas and Fort Worth, so you can visit from either.

Dallas itself doesn’t have a German-style market that runs for the whole season. If you’re staying in the city, the Dallas Farmers Market has held a holiday market on weekends through December, and the Dallas Arboretum’s 12 Days of Christmas display has included a small village of holiday shops. Both are worth a look, but neither has the huts, glühwein and oompah music you’ll find in Arlington.

The German link is genuine. The market began in 2011, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a walled town famous for its own Christmas market, is now an official partner. In past years the market’s Christkindl, the angel who brings presents in German tradition, has switched on the tree lights at the start of the main run.

It’s smaller than its billing suggests. The vendor list runs to around 20 stalls, so most people see everything in an hour or two. Weekend afternoons are the liveliest, when school choirs, a German folk dance group and the German Band of North Texas take turns on the stage, and St Nikolaus is around for photos.

Local Specialties

• Schnitzel: Breaded and fried cutlets from the schnitzel stall, which also does the bratwurst and funnel cakes.
• Bratwurst: German pork sausages, the easiest thing to eat while you walk.
• Glühwein: Hot spiced red wine, and the one thing you shouldn’t leave without trying.
• Cinnamon-sugar roasted nuts: Candied in front of you, the way they are at markets in Germany.
• Funnel cakes: Deep-fried batter piled with powdered sugar, the American fair favourite that turns up beside the German food here.
• Liqueur-filled chocolates: From a small chocolatier, and easy to slip into a coat pocket for later.
• Beef jerky: Sold by the bag, if you want something savoury for the drive back.

Gifts and Stocking Fillers

• German Christmas decorations: Käthe Wohlfahrt, the Rothenburg shop whose ornaments people collect for years, is the largest stall here, with nutcrackers, incense smokers and glass baubles.
• Beer mugs and German keepsakes: The Sister Cities hut sells mugs and small German holiday items alongside its glühwein.
• Alpaca knitwear: Scarves, hats and gloves in alpaca and Pima cotton.
• Local art and pottery: A collective of local artists sells pottery, glass, jewellery and photographic prints.
• Shell-casing pens and knives: Wood, acrylic and spent shell casings turned into pens, knives and lighters, about as Texan as a stocking filler gets.
• Texas honey: Raw and creamed honey, plus beeswax soaps and lip balms from the same beekeepers.
• BBQ rubs and sauces: Rubs, sauces and relishes from a Texas barbecue outfit, for anyone who takes their smoker seriously.