Who We Are
Many people in the community donate their time and effort to plan, organize and run the Market. The Committee consists of roughly 30 volunteers, each taking an active role in planning and executing one or more activities. The Committee meets monthly year-round and is managed by a Board of Trustees comprised of seven volunteers who serve 3-year terms. The Board oversees major decisions and ensures the organization's mission and objectives are met.
At the end of each Market, the Board and Committee have the privilege of distributing proceeds from the Market to local charities and nonprofits. Since we began donating in 2003, the Market has given $770,000 to Sussex County charities.
OUR STORY
The German Christmas Market of NJ Foundation Inc began in 2001 with a small group of German-American volunteers desiring to recreate an authentic German Christmas Market in Sparta, NJ, with the intention of raising funds for local Sussex County charities. Now recognized as the largest annual Christmas Market in the State of New Jersey, and one of the only German Christmas Markets in the USA whose sole mission is to donate back into the community, it has become a fixture in the local region and moved to the Sussex County Fairgrounds in 2021. Since 2013, NJ.com has ranked our German Christmas Market as one of the Top 10 things to do in December. In 2024, the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce awarded us the prestigious Chairwoman's Award -- their top annual award.
BOARD MEMBERS
Sabine Watson
Susan Foy
Dawnice LaFave
Gina Muth
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Trustee
Judy Beelaert
Dan Sarnowski
Sandra Meyer
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
TRUSTEES EMERITUS / FOUNDERS
Karin Meyer
Gudrun Rank
If you wish to learn more about joining our team as a Committee member, please email us at info@GermanChristmasMarketNJ.org. Thank you!
