October 23, 2026 – Branson Christkindlmarkt, a European-style outdoor Christmas market at The Shoppes at Branson Meadows, 4562 N. Gretna Road, will hold its grand opening on Friday, November 27, at 4 p.m. Preparations are moving along with great expectations.
The market was approved for a $30,000 tourism grant from the City of Branson. The grant is paid to the nonprofit Branson Christmas Coalition and will fund marketing in Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis to bring visitors to the Branson area.
On site, the 26-foot Christmas tree is up and the clock tower lighting is complete. These will be lit at night starting November 1st celebrating Ozark Mountain Christmas! The huts are almost all delivered with the market being set up throughout November.
The Hughes Brothers will perform a free Christmas "teaser" show at 5 p.m. every Friday in the warming and entertainment tent! Shows are set for Friday, November 27 (opening day), and Fridays, December 4, 11 and 18. Between songs, the brothers will also be selling their famous Swedish pepparkakor, the thin, spiced ginger cookies that are a Christmas tradition across Scandinavia.
"Having the Hughes Brothers kick off every Friday evening is exactly the kind of Christmas experience we hoped to build," said Jenny Caro, producer of Branson Christkindlmarkt. "Come for the music, take home some pepparkakor, and stay to shop the market."
Visitors are encouraged to reserve free tickets at bransonxmas.com. Tickets are not required, but since this is the first year they help organizers plan parking and help food vendors know how much to prepare.
Since planning for the market began, The Shoppes at Branson Meadows has been going through a renaissance. The Showroom, run by Matthew Boyce, has 13 award winning productions and is rapidly becoming a fan favorite. He offers shows seven days a week and is planning a Christmas show. The Branson Event Center is under new management and is booking shows for its 500-seat theater, with a Christmas show in the works. The Branson Meadows movie theater is also seeing their attendance grow.
Yesteryear is sponsoring St. Nickolas! Escape Code will offer a Christmas Escape Room, and most tenants will carry Christmas items for market visitors to shop. There will be a booth just for the tenants at the market to support the local businesses. The businesses across the center are working together on parking, including whether shuttle parking is needed, so every guest has a place to park.
"It has been wonderful seeing how everyone has come together as a community to support this effort," said Jenny Caro, producer of Branson Christkindlmarkt. "Our goal is to have an amazing Christmas experience, not only at the Christkindlmarkt, but with the stores and entertainment venues at The Shoppes at Branson Meadows."
Christmas shows at The Showroom and the Branson Event Center are expected to sell out, and early booking is strongly recommended. Visitors coming by bus should contact Meridith Meadows to make the needed arrangements.
