17th Annual
Saint Nicholas
European Christmas Market
Friday, December 13, 5-9 pm
Saturday, December 14, 10 am - 5 pm
Kerr Scott Building
North Carolina State Fairgrounds
1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC 27607
Still free admission (but donations gratefully accepted!)
and plenty of free parking!
"Building our Future"
Sts. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Church
Come dine, shop, sip, dance, and sing in the european christmas market tradition!
Shop our European Market where you'll find gift and decorative items from Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia/Czech Republic, Germany, Scandinavia, Ireland and the British Isles. And don't miss St. Catherine's Arts, Home for the Holidays, and the St. Nicholas Sweet Shoppe!
Stop by Baba's Kitchen to take home pierogi (potato cheese, farmer's cheese, sauerkraut, cabbage or prune), our locally-made, secret recipe kielbasa, cabbage rolls, Halushki (cabbage and noodles) nut, poppy and apricot rolls, boxed European Christmas cookie assortments, and German stollen!
Don't miss Baba's Cafe for your favorite hot Slavic foods including kielbasa, pierogi, homemade sauerkraut and more! Serving Friday evening to include grilled kielbasa, borscht or halupki soups, salads, and hotdogs, then opening at 11:00 on Saturday for lunch when we also offer our hot potato cheese pierogi!
You'll love our Drinks and Desserts Bar with Koehl's Bakery European desserts, hot mulled wine and cider, specialty hot chocolates, and coffee
Our Vendor Village is carefully curated to bring you local artisans and small businesses with a European flair and original designs.
Always a big hit, our entertainment includes carolers, dancers, and The Little German Band!
Christmas in Ukraine
You'll find beautiful ornaments, hand-carved crafts, linens, and beautiful embroidery - be sure and shop our Ukrainian tables where you'll also find our home made Ukrainian Christmas loaf cakes!
Christmas in Poland
We'll have even more Polish Pottery this year for collectors, along with ornaments, linens, and home made Polish gingerbreads.
Christmas in Slovakia/Czech Republic
This area of Europe is so well know for its beautiful ornaments and we'll have lots for you to choose from along with Slavic poppy loaf breads, home made by our parishioners.
Christmas in Germany
Germany is famous for its Christmas Markets and ours will showcase German-made smokers, nutcrackers, pyramids, vintage linens, ornaments, and Black Forest Christmas loaf cakes. Don't miss the German tables!
Christmas in Scandinavia
Think gnomes, elk, woolens, and of course St. Lucy! Shop our Scandinavian tables for vintage collectible linens and cute decor with a Nordic flair.
Christmas in Ireland
Is this year you or a dear one receives a new "Made in Ireland" sweater? We'll have a variety of sizes and colors, along with your favorite Irish food treats and gift items. Ireland is a sell out every year so we are getting extra!
Merry Mediterranean Christmas
New this Year! You've asked about France, Italy, Spain, and Greece so we've added tables to feature Christmas around the Mediterranean. Think olive oils, specialty foods and sausages, cute kitchen ware, nativities, and all kinds of gift items. Don't miss the Meditarranean!
Christmas in the British Isles
We are famous for our cashmere scarves from Scotland but don't miss the "jumpers" (made in London sweaters), tea, Highland cow gifts, Gatsby-inspired items along with a nod to British literary figures and our usual array of hand made felt ornaments from England.
St. Catherine's Arts
St. Catherine's Arts (St. Catherine is the patron of artists) is where you will find religious and uplifting gift items including jewelry, rosaries, journals, mugs, and lots more. You'll also find a specialty rosary vendor - who is also a parishioner - in our Vendor Village.
Home for the Holidays
If you have fond memories of Baba's house at Christmas, you'll love our Home for the Holidays area. It's full of nostalgia with decor and gift items inspired by the early to mid 1900s. Mantle decor, ornaments, table settings - all to make your home fun and festive.
St. Nicholas Sweet Shoppe
It wouldn't be Christmas without sweets! Stop here for great gift items and stocking stuffers, including old-time Christmas favorites and gourmet chocolates from Europe along with beautiful vintage candy dishes for your Christmas table.
Vendor Village!
Barker Bee Honey, Bayleaf Signs and Wonders, Beows Books and Brews, The Blessing Nisser, The British Bow Lady, Carpatho-Rusyn Society, Chatchki, Dirt and Wine Mom Homestead, Eastern Star Goods, Fire Within Pottery, Flights and Fables Travel, Golden Hex, Fortnight Brewing, Order of the Hybernians, Life, Sweetness, Hope Gifts, Mushroom Lights, Natual Choice jams and mustards, Nons Salts, Ray of Sunshine Naturals, Ritta's Nordic Gifts, Rosehip Lance Knits, Sara's Pepperkakor, South Mountain Creamery, Sterling Berry Teas, Taste of London Jewelry, and Ukrainians in NC!
Menu
Friday evening: grilled kielbasa sandwiches, borscht or halupki soup, vegetable or carrot salad, sauerkraut, and hot dogs.
Saturday: all of the above plus hot potato cheese pierogi!
Logistics!
Free parking throughout the fairgrounds.
Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted to help offset the cost of our move to a larger vendue. All proceed benefit the growth of our parish.
Hours: Friday, Dec. 13 5-9 pm
Saturday 9:00am - 10:00 am early entry for elderly/handicapped to the retail space only.
Regular Saturday hours 10 am - 5 pm.
Cash and credit cards accepted throughout the Market!
Entertainment!
Friday Night: musical performances at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 including Peak City Vocal and Ukrainian musical groups and dancers.
Saturday: 10:30 Oak City Horn Sound, Sounds of the Season
Noon - 3:00 The Little German Band and Dancers
3:30, more Sounds of the Season with Ali and Susie
Parish News and Market History
We are Sts. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Church in Cary, NC. We are a small parish in the Eastern Catholic tradition, raising funds for a long-awaited new church. Our annual Christmas Market fundraiser, now in its 17th year, draws several thousand people from around central North Carolina and beyond to enjoy shopping, entertainment, and lots of food - all in the European Christmas Market tradition. This year we will be at the Kerr Scott Building to better accommodate the crowds! Our annual Pascha Market was a big success while our summer Market includes food and a popup market at the parish.
Mark your calendars!
Dec. 13-14, 2024: 17th Annual St. Nicholas Market now at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds' Kerr Scott Building!