Submitted by City of Carmel
The City of Carmel has unveiled the 2023 Official City Holiday Ornament, the seventh annual ornament in a series that began in 2017 with the opening of the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. Each year has featured a different theme of images, and this year the theme is the commemoration of Mayor Jim Brainard and his 28 years in office.
The ornaments will retail at $20 each and will be sold at the Christkindlmarkt and at the All Things Carmel store on Main Street. They arrived in Carmel on Wednesday and are already being sold at the store, located at 110 W. Main St., Suite 104. The Christkindlmarkt opens on Saturday, Nov. 18 and continues through Christmas Eve.
Make sure you add this to your collection by purchasing the ornament early. In 2021 and 2022, the ornaments were sold out during the Market, forcing many to wait until February when more ornaments could be shipped.
This year’s ornament is in the shape of a Christmas tree to signify the many gifts the Carmel community has received over the past seven terms under Mayor Brainard. Late last year, the Mayor announced he would not run for reelection.
Images on the ornament include:
Keystone Parkway roundabout: a key element of the transformation of what was a dangerous and deadly four-lane state highway into a beautiful parkway with grade-separated intersections controlled by roundabouts. The design earned Carmel national recognition and inspired the subsequent transformation of U.S. 31 by the State of Indiana.
French horn: one of the instruments Mayor Brainard played as a child (along with the piano). On opening night of the Palladium, he played the French horn once again alongside Michael Feinstein.
City Hall: Built in 1990, six years before he took office, the Mayor has spent the last 28 years working out of his office on the third floor while overseeing the many departments of the city.
Monon Greenway: Formerly an abandoned railroad bed, this five-mile trail was transformed during Mayor Brainard’s time in office. In particular, the creation of an expanded trail in Midtown and the Midtown Plaza has brought new life and business opportunities to a previously industrial area that was in decline.
The Palladium along with The Center for the Performing Arts, is one of the key achievements by the Mayor. As part of Carmel’s new downtown this 1,600-seat concert hall serves as the epicenter for the arts in Carmel.
Carmel Arts & Design District Archway: One of four entry points into the oldest part of Carmel saw its own transformation into a vibrant Arts & Design District featuring art galleries, restaurants and mixed-use projects to accommodate residents and offices.
Fountain at Carmel City Center: Situated at the corner of Range Line Road and City Center Drive, this fountain marks the northeast gateway into City Center with its shops and restaurants. In addition, City Center is home to Hotel Carmichael, a luxury hotel that is part of the Autograph Collection of Marriott hotels.
You can see and purchase past ornaments by visiting AllThingsCarmel.com.