As the footprint for the Carmel Christkindlmarkt takes shape at Carter Green, city leaders are advancing a plan to ensure the longevity and superior quality of one of the Midwest’s premier holiday events, with an eye on protecting taxpayers.
As a city event operated by a non-profit organization, the Christkindlmarkt has enjoyed impressive growth since being formed in 2017 – in activities and offerings, number of attendees, and reputation. However, as the market has grown, so has the city’s investment, with direct costs expected to exceed $1.5 million this year.
While the city has benefited from the event’s success in the form of restaurant and small business sales, city leaders have never attempted to recoup direct expenses incurred by taxpayers including event setup and the safety of attendees.
Now is a crucial time, Mayor Sue Finkam said, to establish a new governance framework for the event that better supports its future success and defrays the significant annual investment made by the city.
Mayor Finkam said the Christkindlmarkt changes will start with the formation of an advisory board of community members representing an array of expertise to work alongside market leadership, focusing on attendee experience.
Finkam
“The advisory board will help support event operations for the Carmel Christkindlmarkt that assures it continues to be a treasured attraction for our residents and for the thousands of others introduced to or reacquainted with our community as part of this event,” Finkam said.
Executive board members have been appointed that will consider financial and staffing resources devoted to the event and how the revenue can best be directed to both the benefit of the Carmel Christkindlmarkt and to supporting other vital city needs like public safety and infrastructure.
“The Carmel Christkindlmarkt is truly a destination event that has benefited from exceptional leadership and from the generous support of Carmel taxpayers,” Finkam said. “With new city leadership in place, and a need for a reprioritization of city spending, it’s important that we protect the market’s successes while establishing guidelines for long-term sustainability.”
Emphasizing that the stellar visitor experience for the market will not be affected by the changes, the mayor praised the vision and efforts of market chief executive officer Maria Adele Rosenfeld. Finkam noted that under Rosenfeld’s leadership, market attendance has expanded greatly in recent years, achieving a four-time top ranking by USA Today’s 10Best reader’s choice awards. It has also become a family-favorite holiday event for many Carmel residents, attracting visitors from across the state and beyond.