Daughters of Norway’s Eva Nansen Lodge 46 | 2025 Hut Sponsor
Many thanks to Daughters of Norway’s Eva Nansen Lodge 46 for their support of Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2025.
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.”
Iowa State Bank | 2025 Annual Hut Sponsor
We’re excited to announce Iowa State Bank’s support of Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2025 as an Annual Hut Sponsor for both weekends.
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.
New Hope United Methodist Church | #CDM2025 Nonprofit Partner
Christkindlmarket Des Moines is pleased to partner with New Hope United Methodist Church as a Nonprofit Partner this year.
New Hope United Methodist Church and their team of volunteers will be setting up wooden vendor huts on Saturday, November 30, 2025. They will also be serving bratwursts on Thursday December 4th and Friday December 5th. In exchange for their participation, Iowa European Cultural Connection, the nonprofit that produces Christkindlmarket Des Moines, will make a donation between $1,000 – $1,500 (based on electronic tips) to their organization.
New Hope United Methodist Church is celebrating 60 years of worship and living faith in the Beaverdale, Urbandale, and Johnston communities! Their Social Action and Diversity committees reach into the community in myriad ways, including worship opportunities, food ministries, community partnerships, women’s ministry, diversity programs, prison ministry, youth ministry, children’s ministry, music ministry, hosting partner groups such as AA and Stroke Support group, ecumenical ministry, and more. New Hope UMC is not a building; it is God’s love manifested in our community. All are welcome!
Our passion for diversity at NHUMC fuel our excitement for the upcoming Christkindlmarket! We love to share cultural experiences and awareness, and we look forward to this new partnership that will allow us together to celebrate the diversity of our community with German and other European friends! Our congregation, thanks to our diversity team, hosts many diversity opportunities throughout the year, and we would love for you to join us in them to grow together in our love of neighbors! Membership is not required to participate in any of our ministries or community outreach events, and we have a lot of other visitors and community supporters who join us, as well as other partners in and beyond our own denomination. We have four weekly English speaking worship opportunities, a Swahili worship opportunity through our partners at New Foundation Wesleyan Church who also worship here, monthly worship at Brio Senior Living in Johnston, Sunday school for all ages, and Wednesday evening activities for children, youth, and adults, all designed to prepare us for our task of being the church right here in the Des Moines Metro. We partner in outreach and ministry with New Foundations Wesleyan Church, Douglas Avenue Presbyterian, other local United Methodist Congregations, and other neighboring houses of worship, as well as working regularly with DMARCC, Central Iowa Shelter and Services, Johnston Partnership, Urbandale Partnership, Women at the Well and Fresh Start, African Immigrant Refugee Transition Services, Boy Scouts of Iowa, AA, Al-Anon, Des Moines Community Jazz Center (CJC) Big Band, Chair Yoga, Urban Bicycle Food Ministry, local schools, and more! All are welcome all the time, both at our location at 4545 Beaver Ave., and during our activities and ministries in the surrounding communities, where we are working nearly every day to bring the living Word of God to all! We are so glad to meet you, and we can’t wait to walk with you in being a different kind of church who talk less about what others should believe and do more to embody what we believe as rooted in scriptural love for God and for one another and to grow in our own walk with Christ.
#CDM2025 Yuletide Hall Performers Announced
Thursday, December 4, 2025
6pm – 9pm: The Schnitzel Brothers Bier Band 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!
Friday, December 5, 2025
11am – 12pm: Des Moines Festival Brass is a local Des Moines brass ensemble playing holiday brass music.
12:30pm – 2:30pm: Polka Police, an awesome polka themed rockin’ band doing parodies, covers and originals.
3pm – 5:30pm: New Jolly Germans Band, playing various types of German music including Polkas, Waltzes, Schottisch and Landlers.
6:30pm – 9pm: 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 Christkindlmarket, what a fun Crowd!
Saturday, December 6, 2025
11am – 1pm: Metro Brass Quintet plays a wide variety of high-quality brass music from all different genres and has performed for corporate events, weddings, and prior Christkindlmarket Des Moines markets. The group has a great variety of contemporary and classic Christmas music that will put you into the Christmas spirit!
1pm – 1:30pm: Greater Des Moines Flute Choir features bass, alto, c flutes, and piccolo, and we play a variety of holiday music in addition to popular music people recognize.
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 singing holiday standards and pop holiday.
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 performs holiday and winter favorites from both popular and classical styles.
5:30pm – 6pm: 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.
6pm – 7pm – Strolling: Top Hat Carolers is a local singing group that has performed holiday music for over 30 years. They sing traditional Christmas carols and contemporary holiday tunes dressed in Victorian garb.
6:30pm – 9pm: Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen Are you ready to get your polka on? Barefoot Becky & the band, from Mt Vernon, IA, will be playing your favorite polkas and a variety of music to get your toes tapping and the gemutlichkeit flowing! PROST!
Sunday, December 7, 2025
11am – 12pm: Betruken Messing specializes in polkas and bombastic brass arrangements of any tunes we think will be fun. During the Christmas season we put our enthusiastic spin on countless holiday standards. Our audiences are especially lively during the holiday season at Christkindlmarket.
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. The band supports first responders, fire departments, law enforcement, and active and reserve military units. We perform at events supporting these groups, and at other local events and parades.
12:30pm – 12:50pm: 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.
1:30pm – 2pm: 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 – 2:20pm: 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.
2:30pm – 5pm: Waxies Dargle plays all the favorite Irish songs from jigs to reels to heartbreaking ballads. You’ll want to sing along to the classics but you’ll also hear some newer tunes that you’re sure to want to learn. Our fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and accordion will transport you to the pubs of Ireland.
Thursday, December 11, 2025
6pm – 9pm: Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen Are you ready to get your polka on? Barefoot Becky & the band, from Mt Vernon, IA, will be playing your favorite polkas and a variety of music to get your toes tapping and the gemutlichkeit flowing! PROST!
Friday, December 12, 2025
11:30pm – 2:30pm: 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.
3pm – 6pm: New Jolly Germans Band, playing various types of German music including Polkas, Waltzes, Schottisch and Landlers.
6pm – 9pm: 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 Christkindlmarket, what a fun Crowd!
Saturday, December 13, 2025
11:30am – 1:30pm: Metro Brass Quintet plays a wide variety of high-quality brass music from all different genres and has performed for corporate events, weddings, and prior Christkindlmarket Des Moines markets. The group has a great variety of contemporary and classic Christmas music that will put you into the Christmas spirit!.
2pm – 2:30pm: Heartland Youth Choir performs holiday and winter favorites from both popular and classical styles.
3pm – 4pm: Des Moines Festival Brass is a local Des Moines brass ensemble playing holiday brass music.
4pm – 4:30pm: Wagner Summer Theater Youth Vocal Group a pop vocal youth group singing holiday standards and pop holiday.
5pm – 5:30pm: Greater Des Moines Flute Choir features bass, alto, c flutes, and piccolo, and we play a variety of holiday music in addition to popular music people recognize.
5:30pm – 6:30pm – Strolling: Top Hat Carolers is a local singing group that has performed holiday music for over 30 years. They sing traditional Christmas carols and contemporary holiday tunes dressed in Victorian garb.
6pm – 9pm: The Schnitzel Brothers Bier Band 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!
Sunday, December 14, 2025
11am – 1pm: Betruken Messing specializes in polkas and bombastic brass arrangements of any tunes we think will be fun. During the Christmas season we put our enthusiastic spin on countless holiday standards. Our audiences are especially lively during the holiday season at Christkindlmarket.
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 – 5pm: Waxies Dargle plays all the favorite Irish songs from jigs to reels to heartbreaking ballads. You’ll want to sing along to the classics but you’ll also hear some newer tunes that you’re sure to want to learn. Our fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and accordion will transport you to the pubs of Ireland.