The Christmas markets start in Brno on 15 November and last until 31 December. Brno has been declared the European Capital of Christmas 2024 by the European Commission. Its main organiser is the Brno-střed municipal district. Great emphasis has been placed on making as many Christmas attractions available for free as possible. The municipal district’s main goal is that visitors can roam Christmas Brno without worrying that it will cost too much. We’ve got some tips on what is absolutely free at Christmas Brno. There is a free concert programme for all visitors. The main stage will be located at Brno’s largest marketplace – the Vegetable Market. Leoš Mareš, Monika Bagárová, Lenny, O5 and Radeček, Poutníci, Jasná páka with David Koller and many others will perform there. The music programme is fully funded by the rent from the vendors and is free of charge. You can also visit the free light trail on Bašty Street opposite the main railway station. The light trail consists of magnificent decorations along the entire length of Bašty Street. Animals are the main theme, but you will also find illuminated gates, decorated trees, illuminated signs as photo points and a neon art installation at the end. The visual installations will be complemented by the festive lighting of the baroque Parnas Fountain at the Vegetable Market. Christmas is all about children’s joy. That’s why a lot of the free attractions are aimed at our youngest visitors. Adults who come to Christmas Brno, even with several children, can enjoy the Christmas market without spending a penny. For children, there is a large 600m2 children’s village at the Vegetable Market, a candle-making workshop where they can make a candle from real beeswax, a post office where children get a small gift for sending their Christmas wishes to the Baby Jesus, and the very popular straw stack on Moravian Square by the statue of Jobst. You can read about how Advent and Christmas are celebrated in other countries with your children at the Christmas Wanderings panels in front of St. Thomas Church. You can download a free map for children with all the attractions here. There are also several competitions for visitors to win tickets for the Ferris wheel in the park at Moravian Square. Competitions are posted on the Christmas Brno Facebook and Instagram pages.
