In 1987, Austrian-native Rudi Skucek conceived a Christkindl Market for Mifflinburg. Upon retirement he and his family moved back to his wife’s hometown in Pennsylvania. At that time the local Main Street organization searched for a town event that would be uplifting, celebrate the German heritage of the area, and promote the small town of Mifflinburg.

It took Rudi and his wife, Joannah, a year to convince the community that an outdoor event such as the traditional German Christkindl Market could be conceivable in cold December. The next hurtle was to inform everyone about the significance of such a market. Rudi gave slide presentations of German Markets to children in local schools, to service clubs, to the Borough Council and other organizations. Although he had an engaging and convincing personality, warmth-loving Americans found it hard to believe that anyone would come to an outdoor market lined with huts in cold and snowy weather conditions. And what vendors would freeze for three days while trying to promote their products!

Finally, twenty huts were built, the street was closed, and the first Market began in 1988. Other bazaars and Christmas Markets existed in several US communities, but none completely outdoors. Mifflinburg led the tradition, and today claims to be the oldest outdoor Market in the US.

The main thrust was to keep it as authentic to European Markets as possible. Inspired by the 700-year old tradition of the Christkindlmarkt, or Christ Child Market, mainly celebrated in Germany and Austria, this festive event is prepared by the town’s churches, organizations, schools and residents.

Rudi and Joannah brought the first prune men, Zwetschezkenmänner, from Germany and convinced a local Mennonite resident to produce them. Gingerbread hearts with German phrases were shown to the Methodist Church, which still makes them. Skucek created a booth, importing original German wooden Christmas figures and table Christmas pyramids. Whether customers came to buy his ware or talk with Rudi is debatable. His charm and enthusiasm developed into the Market ambience.

It was less difficult to find clubs, organizations and school groups to prepare German foods. The Market air immediately filled with the aroma of Bratwurst, Apfelstrudel, Hungarian Goulash and Glühwein (hot mulled wine) along with German beer.

Some visitors claim that the little town of Mifflinburg has a Christkindl Market more authentic than most German Markets, and the committee who organizes the event is amused by the creative ideas that other, more recently-developed American Christkindl Markets have gathered from this small nook of 3,500 residents.

Rudi Skucek died in 2007, but his legacy lives on. Today’s Market, expanded from 20 to nearly 100 vendors and continual holiday musical entertainment, has become a firm root in Mifflinburg’s history. As Wordsworth returned to Tintern Abby, many return to the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market.