
Germany is coming to Harmony this weekend.
The annual WeihnachtMarkt, or Christmas Market, will be sponsored by Historic Harmony on Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of the Harmony Museum.
Designed to resemble the famous Christmas markets held each year in Germany, Weih-nachtMarkt was created by Historic Harmony to raise money and to honor the German influence in the area, said John Ruch, president of the society.
"This started off fairly small, but has developed into quite the event," he said.
Mr. Ruch expects more than 4,000 visitors this year. "We have a real mix of people who attend. People bring their kids, we have the serious shoppers, of course, and we have people looking for something different to do," he said. "And we always have people from Germany who happen to be in the area at the time."
On Saturday and Sunday, more than 30 artisans and vendors will sell goods and crafts, including pottery, handmade soaps, clocks, wooden German nutcrackers, ornaments, dolls and more, according to Gwen Lutz, chairwoman and vendor coordinator.
"We have one woman who sells jewelry made out of human hair in Victorian tradition," she said.
German foods also will be available, including cookies and traditional German gingerbread, bratwurst, hot mulled cider and gluwine, a hot, mulled wine drink that is popular in the Christmas markets of Germany.
"We will also have German dancers and entertainment and surrey rides," Mrs. Lutz said. "On Saturday night, the German Club of Pittsburgh's Children Choir will sing while we light the Christmas tree. It is just lovely."
The Christmas tree will be lit at 6:30 p.m.
The 200-year-old museum building will be decorated for the holidays and open to the public, along with the wine cellar, where wine tasting will be offered.
A highlight of the market will be the reopening to the public of the Harmonist Storehaus, the general store, built in 1807, that served the Harmony society and the townspeople.
"It was the first major brick building built by the Harmony Society," Mr. Ruch said. The building, now under restoration, will be open to the public for the first time since 2003.
The Harmony Museum is at 218 Mercer St. The market will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for students. Children younger than 6 are admitted free. Admission includes access to the market, museum, entertainment and surrey rides.
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