An expanded Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem, highlighted by a record number of artisans, drew 69,439 people, an all-time high, to the Christmas City this Christmas season.

The 2016 Christkindlmarkt attendance topped the previous record of 64,612, set in 2015, by 7.5 percent.

The 2016 version of Christkindlmarkt featured the first major changes at the holiday marketplace since it moved to SteelStacks in 2011. Among the enhancements this year were the addition of two new shopping tents, one of which featured an all-new home for the event’s popular St. Nicholas; major enhancements to the event’s holiday decor, and the addition of new children’s attractions such as the holiday craft activities presented by Banana Factory artists and the opportunity to meet the Just Born Peeps Chick on select Saturdays.

From Dec. 8-11, more than 19,000 people strolled Christkindlmarkt’s aisles while looking for gifts for family and friends, the most ever for a single weekend in the event’s 24-year history.

Christkindlmarkt, started in 1993, grew steadily during its first two decades. From 2010 to 2014, attendance at the market averaged 59,000 annually,

“As a community-based arts and cultural organization, ArtsQuest has long been committed to using our programming and events as tools for urban revitalization, as well as supporting tourism and economic development in our city and region,” said ArtsQuest President and CEO Kassie Hilgert. “Over the past two years, we have made Christkindlmarkt one of our top priorities, dedicating additional resources to expanding and promoting the event with the goal of attracting even more people to Bethlehem at Christmastime.

“We’re thrilled that so many Lehigh Valley residents and out-of-town guests visited Bethlehem this year, not only to experience Christkindlmarkt, but also to enjoy many of the other events and attractions the city has to offer.”

Dennis Costello, general manager of Hotel Bethlehem, said that the hotel has seen an increase in visitors this year.

“This has been the best Christmas season in our 94-year history,” Costello said. “Our occupancy is up over five percent and our room revenue is up 20 percent. Foot traffic into the hotel is also up and the trolley between the North and South sides is a real hit with guests. They love how easy it is to go from one side of the city to the other.”

This year, Christkindlmarkt featured 190 different artisans and vendors during its five-week run, with 60 percent of them coming from the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas of Eastern Pennsylvania.