Some might say Bethlehem’s Christkindlmarkt is the pinnacle of Christmas activities in the Christmas City. The annual event continues to amaze and mesmerize locals and travelers alike. You can’t help but experience a sensory explosion as you arrive at Bethlehem’s winter wonderland.

The festive colored lights, enticing tastes and smells, familiar holiday music and the assortment of materials crafted into something beautiful or tasty, contemporary or traditional, draw people to Bethlehem year after year.

Each year visitors are guaranteed a special and unique experience but never identical to prior years. The artisan you see this year may not be here next year due to the stringent jury system for all artists and craftspeople.

“The jury process is done online, with everyone, including known exhibitors reapplying yearly,” says Emily Kocis, ArtsQuest director of IT and juried exhibitors/beverage operations. “By reapplying yearly, exhibitors keep their products fresh and current. Everyone is judged on creativity, price point, uniqueness and appropriateness to this event.”

This year there were over 200 applicants. More apply each year. Kocis has overseen the selection process since 2011. This year Christkindlmarkt had 180 artisan and food vendors participating. Fifteen were first-time vendors. Twelve states and one country other than the United States (Scotland) were represented. Guest attendance was expected to exceed 117,000.

Part of the complexity of Kocis’ job is scheduling vendors as some choose to attend some but not all weekends of the event; 40-50 vendors have participated in multiple years and multiple weekends. Kocis says she keeps the vendors’ schedules and locations organized with an Excel spread sheet and a blue highlighter. There is a waiting list for accepted vendors.

Vendors present their wares in a multitude of mediums. Proprietor of “Owl Be Beading” Barb Talijan of Bethlehem has been beading for 30-years. Initially, it was an activity that became a hobby when Talijan recovered from foot surgery. Beading became her passion and, ultimately, a lifestyle.

Talijan has been teaching beading for 20-years and has a brick and mortar shop on Birchwood Drive in Bethlehem for almost seven years. She’s participated in Christkindlmarkt for 18 years and has watched children grow and return as adults to make a purchase, or just say hello.

She’s expanded her inventory and skills, just as Christkindlmarkt has grown and changed.

“Eighteen years ago, Owl Be Beading was only permitted to sell beaded ornaments at this event,” she explains. “Now jewelry items and accessories are abundant, but the most popular item is beaded snowflakes.”

Photographer Michael Sandy hails from the Lehigh Valley. His photographic work includes many familiar sites. Four Bethlehem specific photos were used in the Hallmark movie, “Miracle in Bethlehem” (not filmed in Bethlehem). Michael Sandy’s photography transforms the beauty of nature and architecture into stunning visual narratives. Observers could be heard saying “Sandy shoots (photographs) with a painter’s eye.”

Sandy honed his photographic skills during military service with the 25th Infantry of the United States Army. He continued working as a photojournalist with the 213th ASG and later as a staff photographer for the American Red Cross. Sandy then attended The Art Institute of Philadelphia.

He has traveled extensively, most recently to India and Central America, each journey inspiring his creative vision. His work has been exhibited at prestigious venues from New York to Naples, Italy.

Variety, quality, tradition and creativity are all elements that remain the baseline for Christkindlmarkt, creating excitement for future years.