It is the largest and longest event of the year in the Styrian capital – we are talking about “Advent in Graz”, which is a popular meeting place for millions of people in the center of Graz every year with numerous markets, sparkling Christmas lights, the world-famous ice nativity scene and much more. As an important measure to revitalize Graz’s city center, especially in the peak season for inner-city retail, Advent attracted around 2.1 million people last year, more visitors than ever before to Graz city center (100,000 more people than in 2022).
The marketing department of Holding Graz, which is responsible for the overall organization of the Advent program via the city management, is busy all year round with the preparations and the complex organization of all the details. However, the plans for Advent 2024 are significantly more extensive this year due to the legally required new awarding of the Advent markets: From January to March, Holding Graz carried out a Europe-wide tender for the awarding of up to 16 Advent markets in public squares in Graz for the years 2024-2025, including the option of an extension for a further three years. The focus of the tender was on activities for families and children as well as the topics of sustainability, regionality, accessibility and charity.
After a comprehensive evaluation of all submitted concepts and offers, hearings and the successful awarding of the markets to a total of 13 operators by a jury, several Christmas innovations are now waiting for Advent, as the responsible economic councillor Günter Riegler reveals: “This year, a completely new market is being created at Karmeliterplatz during Advent, namely a Christmas village with artistic light installations, arts and crafts and a range of regional gastronomic offerings. New market operators are moving in at Eisernes Tor and Mariahilferplatz, who are also offering a new concept with a focus on regional goods. So we can look forward to it!”
You can see what the market at Karmeliterplatz will look like in the photos below!
This year, for the first time, there will be so-called charity huts spread across a total of eight Advent markets, explains Riegler: “The new concept provides that the charity organisations will not be grouped together at the Iron Gate as before, but that every Advent market with 11 or more stalls will provide at least one hut free of charge to a non-profit organisation or association.”
Citymanager’s Verena Hölzlsauer: “The topic of sustainability will also be given greater consideration this Advent. A large proportion of the markets are committed to complying with the “Green Events Styria” criteria, which include climate-friendly mobility, waste prevention and separation, and resource conservation.”
As a way to attract more customers to local restaurants and shops in the run-up to Christmas, Advent has proven to be extremely successful, especially in the years following the Corona pandemic. “The local economy benefits massively from the increased number of visitors during Advent”emphasizes Riegler. “The figures also show that the varied supporting programme during Advent makes the Styrian capital significantly more international thanks to numerous tourists from abroad. On average, this proportion is around 10 percent in the pre-Christmas period and thus above the annual average. This is also reflected in the number of overnight stays in hotels.”
On peak days in Advent, an average of around 90,000 visitors are counted in the city center. They spend an average of two hours at the markets, spend around 13 euros per person at the stalls and around 40 euros in retail and restaurants – a total of 100 million euros in sales. The proportion of visitors from abroad is around 10 percent in the pre-Christmas period (top 5 countries of origin: Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Italy). In December, hotels in Graz record between 90,000 and 100,000 overnight stays. For comparison: in the period before Graz Advent (1990s) there were still fewer than 30,000.
Below you will find information about the Christmas markets and what’s new!
New features in Advent 2024:
- Christmas at Karmeliterplatz
- Operator: Events Kulturagentur Lientscher & Perna GmbH
- Concept: A romantic, rural Christmas village with a labyrinth of around 20 fragrant larch wood huts, artistic light displays, creative exhibitors and gastronomic offerings.
- An artistic decorative island and a stage with an impressive Skyliner umbrella system complete the offer.
- Advent at the Iron Gate
- Operator: CompanyCode Advertising GmbH
- Concept: The market stands for contemplation and cozy get-togethers. Around 20 stands offer handicrafts, regional food and drinks from various Styrian regions, accompanied by a new lighting concept.
- Winter Wonderlend am Mariahilferplatz
- Operator: Christian Russ and Marcel Mikysek
- Concept: Traditional Advent market with regional pre-Christmas goods, a new lighting concept and a large illuminated tree in the middle of the square.
- Advent market at Mehlplatz
- Operator: Free Spirit Gastronomy GmbH
- Concept: The existing concept of previous years remains intact.
- Adventlounge Schmiedgasse
- Concept: Subject to market expansion, the booths will be moved south this year. New features include the “Love Graz” light object and the optical connection between the stands in the north and south.
- Charity im Advent
- The new charity concept stipulates that every Advent market with 11 or more stands will provide a hut free of charge to a non-profit organization or association.
- In Advent 2024 there will be eight Advent markets: Hauptplatz, Färberplatz, Eisernes Tor, Mehlplatz, Mariahilferplatz, Karmeliterplatz, Franziskanerviertel and Tummelplatz
- Green Event
- The Grieskindlmarkt at Nikolaiplatz is the first Green Events Advent market in Styria.
- The majority of Advent markets voluntarily commit to complying with the minimum criteria of “Green Event Styria” for Advent 2024 and will be allowed to carry the “Green Event” logo after successful testing by the State of Styria (Department 14).
- These include the markets at Hauptplatz, Schmiedgasse, Eisernes Tor, Tummelplatz, Franziskanerplatz and Kleine Neutorgasse, Färberplatz and Karmeliterplatz.
Proven highlights:
This year’s Advent also includes many highlights that have proven themselves for years, such as the Christmas lights in over 60 Graz streets, alleys and squares, the Fotopoints in Herrengasse, Schmiedgasse and at Schlossbergplatz, the Christmas tree on the main square, the Ice crib in the Landhaushof, the Advent projections on the town hall façade, the Krippenweg, Slow traindie Adventbim and much more are available for visitors.
Graz Advent markets:
A total of 16 Advent markets will be presenting themselves in Advent 2024 with a varying range and different focuses – regional, traditional, sustainability, children, arts and crafts, international – in the city of Graz:
- Christmas market in front of the Rathaus
- Adventlounge in der Schmiedgasse
- Advent am Iron Gate
- Good things from all over the world Playground
- Advent market at Glockenspielplatz
- Advent market at Mehlplatz
- Grieskindlmarkt am Nikolaipatz
- Christmas market at Südtirolerplatz
- Aufsteirern Christmas market on Castle Hill (was not advertised because it is not owned by the City of Graz)
- Altgrazer Christmas market in Franciscan Quarter
- Children’s Advent in the Kleiner Neutorgasse
- ARTvent in Lesliehof (was not advertised because it is not owned by the City of Graz)
- Advent market in Joanneum Quarter (was not advertised because it is not owned by the City of Graz)
- Art/craft/market on Dyer’s Place
- Winter Wonderlend am Mariahilferplatz
- Christmas on Karmeliterplatz
