Birmingham Christmas Market opens: What you need to know

Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market opens on Thursday, heralding the start of the festive season in the city centre.

Dozens of stalls will be selling traditional food and drink including schnitzel and bratwurst, as well as handcrafted gifts, decorations and jewellery.

Here is a round-up of information to help plan your visit and what you can expect from this year's market.

The size of the event makes the market hard to miss in Birmingham city centre with stalls and entertainment on offer in Victoria Square and New Street, between Corporation Street and the Bullring.

There is a change to the layout this year, with no stalls between Nando's and the Apple store on New Street due to roadworks on Bennetts Hill and Temple Street.

It opens on Thursday and visitors and shoppers can enjoy the bustling market for the next seven weeks, until it closes on Christmas Eve.

The free event is the largest authentic market of its kind outside of Germany or Austria and will be open seven days a week.

It will be open from 11:00-21:00 GMT from Mondays to Thursdays, 11:00-21:30 on Fridays, 10:00-21:30 on Saturdays, and 10:00-21:00 on Sundays.

On Remembrance Sunday, the market will open at 13:00.

There will be entertainment from musicians from Germany and the Birmingham area at lunchtimes and in the evenings from Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends.

The German house band will perform a mix of Christmas and family favourites, say organisers.

On Monday evenings there will be a new talent slot open to up and coming musicians with the best two acts given the chance to perform in a primetime December slot.

Birmingham City Council has confirmed the big wheel and ice rink attractions will be operating in Centenary Square from Thursday until 3 January.

The three city centre stations - Snow Hill, New Street and Moor Street - are within walking distance of the market stalls, and you can also reach the market via Metro tram stops and bus services.

There are several car parks in and around the city centre and drivers are advised to prepare before travelling in by car as the market is located within Birmingham's Clean Air Zone.

People can also hire Lime bikes and e-scooters from various docking stations in the city.

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