Shopping Sundays in Thuringia
Search a town or pick a period: the finder lists Thuringian Sundays and holidays with the district or town ordinance.
Thuringia: next shopping Sunday
Sun 6 December
in 38 days: 3 dates
| Dates, from Thu 29 October | 3 |
| Towns with a date | 3 |
| Maximum in Thuringia | 4 a year (ThürLadÖffG) |
| List checked on | 29 October 2026 |
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Time left until Erfurt, Ortsteil Altstadt, 6 December 2026
38days11hrs0min0sec
| Date | Town | Area | Occasion | Hours | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 6 December | Erfurt | Ortsteil Altstadt | Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt | 12-18 Uhr | Landeshauptstadt Erfurt |
| Sun 6 December | Gera | Innenstadt (in der Verordnung aufgeführte Straßen) | 29. Geraer Märchenmarkt | 12-18 Uhr | Stadt Gera |
| Sun 6 December | Jena | Ortsteil Jena-Zentrum | Weihnachtsmarkt | 12-18 Uhr | Stadt Jena |
Prepared by Radif Partners · Method · acts and ordinances checked on 29 October 2026
In Thuringia the districts and independent towns decide, not each municipality. Under section 10 of the Thuringian Shop Opening Act, shops may open on up to four Sundays and holidays a year for a special occasion, for up to six consecutive hours between 11 am and 8 pm. An occasion is generally presumed when it has led to an opening in each of the three previous years and is unchanged, so traditional dates need not be justified afresh every year. December has a choice rule: Good Friday, the Advent Sundays and every other Sunday and holiday in December are barred, except for either the first or the second Advent Sunday. The release is an ordinance and may differ between districts of a town. Section 10 does not list Easter Sunday, Whit Sunday, Volkstrauertag or Totensonntag as barred days.
What the law allows in Thuringia
The provision is section 10 of the Thuringian Shop Opening Act, last amended on 17 February 2022. For 2027 it allows 49 Sundays, and of the first two Advent Sundays, Sun 28 November and Sun 5 December, only one may be chosen.
Check a Sunday of 2027 in Thuringia
Thuringia, Sunday, 28 November 2027
Can be released
| Maximum per year | 4 |
| Opening hours | between 11:00 and 20:00, 6 hours at most |
| Possible Sundays 2027 | 49 / 52 |
| Who releases | the district or independent town, by ordinance |
Dates in 2026
| Date | Town | Area | Occasion | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 17 May | Jena | Ortsteil Jena-Zentrum | Frühlingsmarkt | Stadt Jena |
| Sun 13 September | Jena | Ortsteil Jena-Zentrum | Altstadtfest | Stadt Jena |
| Sun 4 October | Erfurt | Ortsteil Altstadt | Erfurter Oktoberfest | Landeshauptstadt Erfurt |
| Sun 4 October | Gera | Innenstadt (in der Verordnung aufgeführte Straßen) | 35. Geraer Höhlerfest | Stadt Gera |
| Sun 6 December | Erfurt | Ortsteil Altstadt | Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt | Landeshauptstadt Erfurt |
| Sun 6 December | Gera | Innenstadt (in der Verordnung aufgeführte Straßen) | 29. Geraer Märchenmarkt | Stadt Gera |
| Sun 6 December | Jena | Ortsteil Jena-Zentrum | Weihnachtsmarkt | Stadt Jena |
Dates in 2027
For 2027 our list has no town in Thuringia with officially published dates yet.
| Town | 2026 | 2027 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erfurt | 2 | pending | Landeshauptstadt Erfurt |
| Gera | 2 | pending | Stadt Gera |
| Jena | 3 | pending | Stadt Jena |
Sundays that stay closed
| Sunday | Barred as |
|---|---|
| Sun 12 December | Advent or December Sunday (only the first or second Advent Sunday may be used) |
| Sun 19 December | Advent or December Sunday (only the first or second Advent Sunday may be used) |
| Sun 26 December | Advent or December Sunday (only the first or second Advent Sunday may be used) |
Neighbouring Saxony opens all four Advent Sundays: Saxony. Advent rules for every state: Advent.