KEWAUNEE – The Kewaunee Area Chamber of Commerce helps the city get ready to celebrate the holiday spirit with its 11th annual Christkindlmarkt weekend from Nov. 17 to 19.

The festivities center around the Holiday Market, an old-fashioned, German-style Christmas market; and the Holiday Lights Parade through downtown Kewaunee.

Open from 3 to 9 p.m. Nov. 17 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov 18, the market offers visitors the chance to browse and shop for gift items from vendors offering clothing and accessories, ceramic items, homemade foods and more. For those getting hungry while checking out the items, German cuisine also will be available. And, Santa Claus will be at the hall after his appearance in the parade Nov. 17 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 18. Children can meet the Big Red Man, decorate cookies and watch holiday movies.

The market takes place at Lakehaven Hall, 96 Ellis St.

The parade starts at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17, heading through downtown along Ellis Street.

Visitors also can take part in the Christmas Stroll throughout the weekend. Nineteen Kewaunee businesses will host shoppers and stamp their “passports” (available from the chamber website or at the businesses), and those who get stamps from each location and a special code from the chamber website are entered in drawings to win cash prizes. Visitors also can register to win a $25 gift certificate at each business.

Christmas Stroll hours are from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 17, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 18 and noon to 3 p.m. Nov. 19.

Lakehaven Hall also is hosting a free talk by award-winning author Rochelle Pennington on the Rouse Simmons, the fabled and ill-fated “Christmas Tree Ship” that sank off Two rivers in 1912, at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 18. Signed copies of Pennington’s book “The Historic Christmas Tree Ship” will be available, with proceeds going to support the Kewaunee Pier Head Lighthouse.

Also on the evening of Nov. 18 is a Holiday Craft Night at the hall. Starting at 7 p.m., visitors can choose to decorate a wreath, make jewelry, arrange an indoor or outdoor holiday centerpiece. paint a holiday ornament or make holiday cards. There is a fee for each, which includes instruction and materials, and food and beverages will be for sale. Children ages 5 and older can visit the Kids Corner for free popcorn, movies and other activities.

For more information on Christkindlmarkt, call 920-388-4822 or go to www.kewaunee.org.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Kewaunee to get holiday spirit with Christkindlmarkt