City of Jena and JenaKultur cancel Christmas market

Despite all efforts for solution scenarios, the city of Jena and JenaKultur cancel this year's Christmas market in the Saale city.

Mayor Thomas Nitzsche says: "This decision was not easy for us. Despite all the pandemic arguments, we are aware of the existential needs of many of our partners. Dealers, showmen and restaurateurs - many of them have been able to generate little or no turnover this year due to the numerous event cancellations. In this respect the cancellation of the Christmas markets hits them particularly hard. However, our local retailers are now also lacking an important source of frequency for their Christmas business. Against this background, at the very least the feasibility of open for business Sundays must be answered anew at the state level.

Carsten Müller, member of the plant management of the organizer JenaKultur explains: "We have tried to find solutions. However, due to the current 'lockdown' situation and the impossibility of a planning perspective for the period of December, we see no other possibility than a cancellation. Further infection protection requirements, such as the complete restriction of the event areas or a ban on the serving of mulled wine make the operation of a Christmas market even more uneconomical. An implementation of such limitations also goes beyond the limits of the conceptually sensible for us. The first-time cancellation of the Jena Christmas market is, after the cancellation of the Kulturarena, another bitter blow for our team and our partners".

Daniel Illing, head of the JenaKultur event management adds: "At the same time, we cannot hope for a situation that is not controllable from our side and which would only mean a further increase of ultimately unprofitable preproduction costs for us and our partners in the following weeks. The course of the pandemic is only influenced by the behaviour of everyone. We will continue our efforts to ensure that our partners are taken into account in the compensation payments promised by the German government.

The city of Jena has an unconditional interest in having at least one open Sunday during Advent. However, this is not legally possible without a Christmas market. Therefore, the city leadership appeals to the state of Thuringia to allow a special arrangement for municipalities that have cancelled their markets. The local traders should definitely be given this opportunity.

The Jena market will also be decorated for Christmas this year. A tree will shine with the new festive lighting. Likewise, an attempt will be made to make the traditional blowing of the town hall tower possible. Here there are still votes.