Ever wonder how those cute wooden vendor huts arrive at Principal Park? Special thanks to the team at Gilcrest/Jewett Lumber Company‘s Waukee location for transporting our huts to the venue and returning them to storage year after year.
Founded in 1856, Gilcrest/Jewett Lumber Company is dedicated to providing its customers with quality, consistency, value, innovation and style.
For over 150 years, their MISSION has been to succeed through unwavering focus on the success of their customers in central and eastern Iowa. They accomplish their mission by supplying customers with top-quality, high-value building products and unparalleled service. They strive to apply the highest standards of integrity to their daily business and to provide a positive, ethical working environment for their employees. Succeeding in this quest for excellence requires every employee to help create a safe, enjoyable and productive work environment.
5:30pm – 9pm: The Jolly Germans Band, a German band playing a variety of old time dance favorites!
11:30am – 2:30pm: Jager and the Polkameisters is a fun Oktoberfest themed polka band. There’s fun music along with lots of toasts and laughs. It’s a touch of Munich right here in Des Moines!
4pm – 5:30pm: Betruken Messing is a local Des Moines low brass ensemble specializing in polkas and polka-ized versions of favorite.
7pm – 10pm: Malek’s Fishermen Band is an old time dance band that has been playing since 1932; started playing barn dances and moved on to the main ballrooms and dance halls. Now they play festivals and parties around the midwest. They love playing at the Christkindlemarket, what a fun Crowd!
11am – 11:30am: Greater Des Moines Flute Choir brings together talented adult flutists that enjoy playing together. Now in their fourth year of performing, the choir features C, alto, bass flutes and piccolo. We provide a variety of music from popular favorites, classical, and holiday.
12pm – 12:30pm: Mackenzie Highlanders Pipes and Drums of Iowa is an all-volunteer, non-profit, bagpipe and drum band located in the Des Moines, Iowa metro area.
1pm – 1:30pm: Foy School of Irish Dance Celebrate Irish culture with the Foy School of Irish Dance. The revelry includes delightful traditional dances and contemporary choreographed numbers that both enchant and entertain!
2pm – 2:30pm: Schuhplattler Gruppe Edelweiss is the #1 award winning Bavarian Dance group in North America, founded in 1961. Members of Gauvervband Nordamerika. Upholding the culture and customs of Bavaria/Tirol, through dance, music and the traditional outfits worn.
3pm – 3:30pm: Wagner Summer Theater Youth Vocal Group a pop vocal youth group.
4pm – 4:30pm: Schuhplattler Gruppe Edelweiss is the #1 award winning Bavarian Dance group in North America, founded in 1961. Members of Gauvervband Nordamerika. Upholding the culture and customs of Bavaria/Tirol, through dance, music and the traditional outfits worn.
5pm – 5:30pm: Heartland Youth Choir provides a performance-based program for youth that emphasizes musical literacy and character development. Heartland Youth Choir provides a unique opportunity for children of diverse backgrounds with a particular aptitude in vocal music to explore that interest beyond their school setting. Quality literature from all styles and periods form the foundation for this exploration.
6pm – 6:30pm: Schuhplattler Gruppe Edelweiss is the #1 award winning Bavarian Dance group in North America, founded in 1961. Members of Gauvervband Nordamerika. Upholding the culture and customs of Bavaria/Tirol, through dance, music and the traditional outfits worn.
7pm – 10pm: Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen Barefoot Becky, from Mt Vernon, IA, has had the Ivanhoe Dutchmen for over 35 years. They have traveled across the US and abroad playing polkas, waltzes, old country, two steps, and party favorites! Kick off your shoes and get get those toes a tappin’!
11:am – 11:30am & 11:50am – 12:15pm: Metro Brass Quintet has performed for more than 10 years in the Des Moines metro from conferences to weddings. The group plays a variety of folk, jazz, classical and original works and performs high quality brass music.
12:30pm – 1pm: Schuhplattler Gruppe Edelweiss is the #1 award winning Bavarian Dance group in North America, founded in 1961. Members of Gauvervband Nordamerika. Upholding the culture and customs of Bavaria/Tirol, through dance, music and the traditional outfits worn.
1:15pm – 1:45pm: Metro Brass Quintet has performed for more than 10 years in the Des Moines metro from conferences to weddings. The group plays a variety of folk, jazz, classical and original works and performs high quality brass music.
2pm – 2:30pm: Schuhplattler Gruppe Edelweiss is the #1 award winning Bavarian Dance group in North America, founded in 1961. Members of Gauvervband Nordamerika. Upholding the culture and customs of Bavaria/Tirol, through dance, music and the traditional outfits worn.
3pm – 5pm: Stu Ryan O’Brien plays fun Irish pub and traditional songs. There’s always a wee bit of clapping, sing along and lots of laughs too! It’s like sitting in your favorite Dublin pub.
Many thanks to Daughters of Norway’s Eva Nansen Lodge 46 for their support of Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2024.
Scandinavians began immigrating to Iowa as early as the 1830s and 1840s where they settled mostly in central and northern Iowa. Eva Nansen Lodge 46 became the first Iowa lodge to bear the name Daughters of Norway on November 5, 2006 with forty-six charter members representing Norway, Denmark, and Sweden ancestries. Membership is available not only to Norwegians, but women with Danish, Swedish, Finnish, and Icelandic connections.
“Daughters of Norway’s Eva Nansen Lodge 46 is proud to continue the legacy of Nordic heritage throughout Iowa with cultural arts, history, and traditions that our ancestors brought to America to share among today’s children and women of all ages,” explained representative, Sandy Hansen. “The Lodge Sisters pride themselves in offering educational and festive events, cultural programs and activities, and social gatherings. Lifelong Nordic friendships have developed while sharing common interests.”
We’re pleased to have Chicago Teahouse as an Annual Hut Sponsor.
From our location in the heart of the Historic Gold Coast of Chicago we have been able to share our passion with even more people. Our Chicago location has continued to impress for the past fifteen years. Our woman-owned local business was named The Best Tea Shop in Chicago by Chicago Magazine. Customers can trust they are getting the best service from an incredibly knowledgeable staff as our store is managed by a Certified Tea Sommelier, Agnieszka Rapacz. We have been trusted by Top Chefs, Local Country Clubs, Navy Pier, Art Institute of Chicago, Drake Hotel, and the Chicago/Milwaukee/Carmel Christkindlmarkets to provide the perfect tea for any occasion.
Chicago Teahouse is an advocate to promote organic and fair trade tea production. Our tea producers actively encourage development of a caring and sustainable industry that generates income and improves the lives of millions of people. Our producers maintain the highest ethical standards with regard to health, education, nutrition and environmental sustainability with Fair Trade certifications. We cultivate personal relationships with our tea growers and share their commitment to improving the lives of the people who produce our tea products. Our commitment to providing you with exceptional tea is matched by our commitment to the planet and the people who grow our tea.
We are an organization with superior knowledge of, and experience in, the tea market, with a mission to bring truly superlative teas to a growing community of tea lovers around the world and in our own neighborhood. While our company continues to grow, some things do not change. At Chicago Teahouse, our Passion for Tea is at the core of everything we do.
We carry over 200 products including black, green, oolong, white, rooibush, herbal and fruit, and ranging in price from just a few cents per cup all the way up the rarest teas grown exclusively for us by some of the world’s finest estates.
We’re excited to announce Iowa State Bank’s support of Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2024 as an Annual Hut Sponsor.
Iowa State Bank is proud to have called Des Moines home for over 80 years. They have five metro banking locations, along with Investment and Trust Departments providing strong wealth management services. Iowa State Bank has been committed to this community since opening their doors in 1941. Helping to support local organizations and giving their customers the best possible banking experience will always be their priority.
Christkindlmarket Des Moines is pleased to partner with Des Moines Children’s Museum as a Nonprofit Partner this year.
Des Moines Children’s Museum and their team of volunteers will be managing a point of sale at the Glühwein Tent on Thursday and Friday. All cash tips placed in their tip jar at their point of sale will go directly to their organization. The Iowa European Cultural Connection, the nonprofit that produces Christkindlmarket Des Moines, will also make a $500 donation as part of our partnership.
The Des Moines Children’s Museum’s mission is to build the foundation of lifelong learning by promoting the power of play.
We Value: Play, Connections, Creativity & Curiosity, Innovation, Research, Impressive Persistence, Inclusivity.
Our vision is a playful museum, always striving to be better, helping families connect with each other, community resources, and the world.
Christkindlmarket Des Moines is pleased to partner with Daughters of Penelope Zeus #38 as a Nonprofit Partner this year.
Daughters of Penelope Zeus #38 and their team of volunteers will be managing a point of sale at the Glühwein Tent on Thursday and Saturday. All cash tips placed in their tip jar at their point of sale will go directly to their organization. The Iowa European Cultural Connection, the nonprofit that produces Christkindlmarket Des Moines, will also make a $500 donation as part of our partnership.
The Mission of the Daughters of Penelope is to promote Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, Family and Individual Excellence.
The Daughters of Penelope uphold the traits of kindness, tolerance, truth, unselfishness, goodness, beauty, self-improvement, purity, loyalty, patience.