Bettina lives in Neukirchen in the Ore Mountains and works in the volunteer editorial team. Bettina has been a volunteer since 2024 and contributes her valuable volunteering experience to Kulturhauptstadt gGmbH. A former bank clerk, she previously worked as a hardware and software developer.
A giant candle arch was carried through the city centre of Chemnitz? Colourful chairs were driven to the Stadthalle?
Yes - it's time for the Maker Advent in Chemnitz and the Capital of Culture Region! It takes place from 24 November to 30 December and is more diverse than ever before. In 42 cities and at over 330 events, you can tinker and try out new things or simply watch and be inspired.
The big hands-on festival in the Chemnitz Stadthalle took place on 29 November 2025 from 12 noon to 6 pm - on the final weekend of the Capital of Culture. As it was part of the official festival programme, we were hoping for lots of guests.
That's why I helped my husband and many other helpers prepare for the hands-on festival the afternoon before. When we entered the foyer of the town hall, we were pleasantly surprised: countless Advent stars in a wide variety of colours and sizes were hanging from the ceiling, immediately creating a festive atmosphere.
Once the colourful chairs had arrived, we had to unload them, distribute them to the right places, arrange the tables accordingly and much more. To spread more Christmas cheer, we volunteers took on various tasks, such as decorating the foyer with more poinsettias and preparing craft materials. My task was to cover the tables with paper and attach it with colourful adhesive tape together with other volunteers. Sounds simple - but it wasn't: stubborn paper, sticky tape that wouldn't hold, wobbly tables... Nevertheless, by the end of the day a lot had been done and the anticipation of the opening was growing.
On 29 November, my husband and I visited the Maker Advent in the Stadthalle, but first we had to queue! There was a huge queue of people outside the entrance, all wanting to try out the wide range of Christmas activities on offer, such as making gifts from wood, beads or ceramics, trying out 3D printing or moulding their own chocolate.
We were delighted that the hands-on activities were so well received by so many guests, who also took the opportunity to familiarise themselves with Erzgebirge traditions.
The large candle arch (see picture) was a popular photo motif, as the visitors themselves became the centre of attention. With various Christmas or Chemnitz templates provided, you could create a shadow image. What was particularly nice was that everyone had their photo taken and received a souvenir by e-mail.
After a while, we happily left the Stadthalle to experience more highlights of the day and saw a never-ending queue of spectators outside the gates.
It was a great day for me and I was particularly pleased with the huge success of the Maker Event, which meant that the work of the Makers, Business & Art team from Kulturhauptstadt gGmbH and the many helpers and volunteers had paid off. The Maker Advent showed just how creative Chemnitz is - and I'm already looking forward to the next edition.
