That’s new this year – the Christkindlmarkt in Vienna: update and stall protest

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A new concept caused quite a stir in the run-up: more structure, neater – slightly different. Standlers protest against this, also on Saturday, the day of the opening. The “Krone” asked around.

Completely canceled two years ago. Last year it was considerably shortened and in a slimmed-down form. Access only with 2G. But since Saturday, the Christkindlmarkt is back on Rathausplatz and everything is new and different. The Christmas market has been updated.

More space, but long queues for the gastro stands
At the local inspection “Krone” it quickly becomes clear that things look very different this year. More structured, a little tidier and there’s a lot more room. That was precisely the ulterior motive of the new organizer, the City of Vienna Marketing GmbH. They wanted to make the popular Christmas market even more family-friendly and sustainable in order to improve the quality of the visit.

In any case, Lamborghini’s twelve-meter-high multi-storey carousel is a real eye-catcher. But what is also striking: long queues for the gastro stands. The number of stands was reduced from 154 to a total of 100, with only one fifth offering food and drink.

Busted market vendors don’t give up
The space that has become available is intended to invite you to linger and is well received by most visitors on the opening day (see overview below). But not with the market vendors, who were not given a place this year: while everything glittered and glittered less than 200 meters away, the dismissed market vendors gathered in front of the Burgtheater on Saturday evening for a protest meeting.

One of them is Jaqueline Horvath (63). She also went empty-handed this year. Horvath is angry and makes serious accusations against some of those responsible, even speaking of corruption. Many of the Bootleggers that were started would meet financial ruin.

Threats and legal action
For 16 years, Akan Keskin, who was close to the SPÖ, and his association for the promotion of market trade ruled the square. But since this year, the City of Vienna Marketing GmbH has been entrusted with the organization of what is no longer the largest Christmas market – this is now the one on Spittelberg. A petition “Save the Christkindlmarkt” has almost 300 signatures.

In the meantime, the police even investigated threats and an approach ban was issued. The city has turned the case over to the legal department for the most recent violent allegations. Legal action is now being investigated.

Lighting one hour shorter, “Herzerlflug” to the Herzerlbaum
Other than that, much is the same as always, but some things are new: at 5:30 p.m. sharp, the 28-metre-high Styrian spruce was solemnly illuminated by Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) and Styrian Governor Christopher Drexler (ÖVP). 1650 lights make the tree shine this year. The market will be illuminated for an hour less this year and this time only energy-efficient LED lighting will be used.

With the “Herzerlflug” there is also a new attraction that “flies” over the Rathausplatz to the popular Herzerlbaum.

When it comes to punch, mulled wine and the like, Rathausplatz is in the higher price segment. A cup of mulled wine costs 5.50 euros. There is also a deposit of 4 euros for a cup.

New Christmas market: “Now I like to come here again!”
From now on, it’s time again to sip punch, snack on chestnuts or take a spin on the new Lamborghini carousel. The “Krone” asked how the new Christmas market was received by the Viennese. The consensus: much more space and more inviting than before.

But there is also criticism. Especially the long queues for the gastro stands disturb Mr. Roland E. No wonder. Because here, too, the supply has noticeably reduced. Only one fifth of all stands on the site can be attributed to gastronomy.

Source: Krone

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