Guard your children – Krampus is back on the streets of Bloomington.
The Burnished Raven and Bloomington Brewing Company are partnering up for The Krampus Bizaar 2023, a craft fair featuring 20 local vendors, wood-fired pizza and fiery performers inspired by St. Nick’s creepy companion.
Krampus is derived from Germanic folklore. He’s a half-goat, half-man creature that punishes naughty children, while St. Nicholas rewards the nice ones. He’s been celebrated in Bloomington for over a decade.
The Krampus Rampage and Bazaar was the largest Krampus celebration in North America until its grand finale in 2021. But local business owners are working to revive the Krampus celebration.
Raine Hutchens is the owner of The Burnished Raven and organizer of the Bizaar. He said he hopes this is the beginning of a yearly tradition.
“We want to provide a fun environment where people can leave their cares at the door and come see the bizarre things that will go on at the event. And I'm going to continue to do this as long as I can,” he said. “I'm willing to work with local businesses, local artisans, local performers to just really make this a Bloomington tradition that stands out against any other event across the country.”
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Bloomington Brewing Company is releasing a specialty beer for the event – an imperial Russian stout called The Krampus Brew. Speakeasy Pizza will also be at the event serving wood-fired pizzas from their food truck.
Attendees can expect performers from Inferno Vortex, a fire performance group. B-Town Krampus will also be in attendance, so you can expect to see the demon for yourself.
The Krampus Bizaar is an indoor, kid-friendly event and runs from noon to 6 p.m. on December 17th at Bloomington Brewing Company.
Switchyard Brewing Company and B-Town Krampus hosted a night block party last weekend in effort to revive the tradition. It featured a holiday market, fire dancers, and a specialty Krampus-themed porter.
