Watch: What to expect at the German Christmas market in Birmingham 2022

The Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market is back. It’s the most visited authentic German Christmas Market outside of Germany and Austria in the world, attracting up to five million visitors - and I’m here for BirminghamWorld to find out what makes this annual event so iconic.

Visitors from across the UK and Europe come to witness Birmingham’s very own Frankfurt market - worth a whopping quarter of a billion pounds to the local economy and supports 7,000 jobs, according to Birmingham City Council.

Last year polls found that the overwhelming majority of visitors said they would be returning this year - with most saying if the market wasn’t here they would have stayed at home. Which many say prove that the German Christmas Market here in Birmingham is an attraction worth bragging about.

Cllr Brigid Jones says: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming the Frankfurt Market back to Birmingham. It’s been coming since 1997. And it’s a huge boon to our local economy. It’s round about a quarter of a billion pounds worth of spending locally.

“Every Christmas time we welcome millions of visitors here to the city and it supports around about 7,000 jobs as well. But most importantly, it’s a lot of fun. It brings the spirit to Birmingham, and it’s a great boon to local businesses.”

Owen, a visitor to the market, says: “So the market is brilliant. It’s brilliant for the economy, brilliant for the community. And as an ex-employee of Birmingham City Bouncil, it’s our strategy - Be Bold, Be Birmingham.

“It’s great to see all the stores, all the lights, all the people. It’s great for the community, for inclusion, as well like social inclusion - community inclusion. I really love the entertainment like - I’ve once been here before and done a karaoke here, but that’s what I really love about it.”