Be one of the first to view Christkindlmarket Des Moines’ 2019 Glühwein mug design at Jasper Winery on Tuesday, May 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Sip the signature drink (warm mulled wine) while shopping a mini market featuring foods and handcrafted items from Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2019 vendors. Other Jasper wines and Madhouse beer will also be available for purchase.
The first 25 attendees to donate $25 (or more) to guarantee their 2019 mug will receive a goody bag. A limited quantity of commemorative mugs are ordered each year. The mug design will be revealed at 6:30 p.m.
Learn more about Des Moines European Heritage Association (DMEHA), the non-profit that produced Christkindlmarket Des Moines. Sign up to become a Silver or Gold member and show your support for an association whose mission is to connect Iowans with European traditions, language education and cultural experiences.
Feeling festive? Bring your own Glühwein mug (0.2 liters) from a past Christmas market.
Admission is free; donations accepted.
Offering: advent calendars, imported chocolate, baumkuchen, Mozart kugeln, Asbach filled chocolates, assorted marzipan, Haribo, Pandoro, Pannetone, butter cookies, stollen, beer steins, beer mugs, beer glassware, shot glasses and Christkindlmarket Des Moines merchandise. Price Range: $1 – $200
Offering: Steinbach nutcrackers and smokers; INGE glass ornaments.
Price Range: $5 – $400
Damon will be selling unique, hand-made cutting boards, cookie molds, and cheese slicers.
Offering: Woodworking: cookie molds, cutting boards, cheese slicers
Price Range: $20 – $200
Ornaments, lanterns, signs, maps, and any other decorations we can cobbler together. Hand made in Des Moines with a laser cutter, woodworking, and a host of other mediums.
Offering: Lanterns, ornaments, decorative signs and maps, laser cut artwork
Price Range: $1 – $100
At Pickle Creek, we use organic herbs we grow on our Iowa farm to handcraft artisanal herbal products, including infused olive oils and vinegars, soaps, salves, salts, and balms.
Offering: Herb-infused olive oils and vinegars, soaps, salves, salts, and balms that we handcraft ourselves using original recipes and the herbs and other produce we grow in our garden.
Price Range: $3 – $25
At Held Companies we make handmade wooden snowmen and deer of all sizes. We also create laser cut decor such as; signs, ornaments, coasters and magnets.
Offering: Birch Snowmen, Birch Deer, Repurposed wooden signs, ornaments, wooden trees, etc.
Price Range: $2 – $150
Three In One Artworks offers unique, hand-crafted functional and decorative clay mugs, trays, boxes and bowls. Designs include agricultural and rural heritage, Celtic, Christian and contemporary designs.
Offering: Ornaments, coffee cups, mugs, serving trays, serving bowls, trinket boxes, trinket dishes, candle holders, vases, kitchen utensil holders, decorative trays, plates and bowls. (Celtic, agriculture and contemporary designs)
Price Range: $15 – $100
Authentic 1848 historic Danish Windmill located in Elk Horn, Iowa. The Windmill was built in Denmark in 1848 and reconstructed in Elk Horn in 1975 to working condition and stands as a memorial to the areas Danish Heritage.
Offering: Danish Christmas giftware celebrating old world traditions. Prepackaged Danish candy and Danish food
Price Range: $1 – $100
Andy Klindt creates using wood and iron, utilizing anything from chainsaws to traditional hand tools when working in wood and time honored methods of blacksmithing when working with metal.
Offering: Chainsaw carvings, Wooden ornaments, Hand forged kitchen ware, decorations, tools, knives, jewelry, Hand carved wooden kitchen ware, Handmade wooden boxes, totes, tables
Price Range: $7 – $3000
Nymph in the Woods creates one-of-a-kind jewelry combining fused glass and wire wrapping! See how the pieces are created during wire wrapping demonstrations!
Offering: Jewelry combining fused glass and wire wrapping – necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings and more!
Price Range: $15 – $150
We make everything we sell in Indianola, Iowa. They are one of a kind fused and stained glass jewelry and home decor pieces. Will be demonstrating blown glass ornaments.
Offering: Fused glass pendants, earrings, bracelets, hair accessories, pop sockets, tie-tac’s, tie-bars, money clips & key chains. Fused glass plates, bowls, soap dish, spoon rest, business card holder, napkin holder Christmas ornaments. Stained glass Christmas ornaments pendants, earrings, picture frames and small panels. Blown glass ornaments, hand painted glass Christmas ornaments and hand painted wine bottle lights with winter scene.
Price Range: $8 – $150
Handcarved wooden home, kitchen, and lifestyle goods made from ethically harvested urban lumber.
Offering: Hand-carved wooden: spoons, spatulas, kitchen utensils, cutting, serving, and presentation boards and trays, pizza cutters and paddles, shaving razors, shaving brushes, shaving stands, baby spoons, coffee scoops, beer flights, bottle openers, muddlers, wooden bowls.
Price Range: $5 – $125
Support Des Moines European Heritage Association (DMEHA), the non-profit that produces Christkindlmarket Des Moines with a purchase from this stand.
Offering: Usinger Brats, Käse Spätzle and bottled water
Price Range: $1 – $5
Glühwein (roughly, “glow-wine”, from the hot irons once used for mulling) is popular in German speaking countries. Glühwein is prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves, star aniseed, citrus, sugar and at times vanilla pods.
Ukrainian style foods, gifts and desserts
Offering: Perogie, pelmeni, cabbage rolls, candy, sweets
Price Range: $1 – $10
Fine European chocolates and confections.
Offering: hot chocolate, prepacked chocolates, stroopwafels handmade, speculaas
Price Range: $3 – $40
Offering: Cinnamon or maple flavored roasted almonds, cashews, pecans
Price Range: $5 – $8
State of the art, wickedly designed bright green food truck.
Sugarplums is a local bakery that specializes in traditional gingerbread and other European baked goods for the Christkindlmarket. Everything we sell is made completely from scratch from family recipes.
Fresh baked sweet and savory strudels, handmade pretzels
Cheese Bar DSM will be unveiling our newest addition, Cheese Cart. We will be featuring Raclette prepared in the European Traditional Method of scrapping melted cheese over potatoes and sausage.
French Style Crepes with a sweet or savory filling
The Kringle is made of very high quality dough folded and buttered 81 times to get all the lightness and air pockets associated with Danish Baking. We blend Almond Paste with all our Fruit to come up with an irresistible, melt in your mouth flavor.
Christkindlmarket Des Moines is proud to present a unique fundraising opportunity for nonprofit organizations. We invite up to 15 participants to decorate 6-8 foot cut trees** that will be displayed during the market and sold via a silent auction. The organization that decorates the tree will receive 100% of the profits earned from Des Moines European Heritage Association following the event.
Individual organizations are responsible for all tree decorations, and all items used on the tree will be given to the winning bidder. We encourage decorations that are able to withstand the temperamental Iowa weather (snow, sleet, rain, and/or wind). The trees remain outside for the duration of Christkindlmarket Des Moines.
Relocating Christkindlmarket Des Moines to Principal Park this year has afforded us the opportunity to make some exciting changes relating to the Silent Auction.
We will once again be using off-site bidding technology to garner bids and use i-Pads on site to help interested bidders register. Minimum bids will start at $60 and increase in increments of $10. Organizations will be asked to decorate their tree on Wednesday, December 4th. Bidding will begin Thursday night, December 5th, at 5pm and close Sunday, December 8th, at 3pm.
Please use this link to register your nonprofit organization as a participant at the Chistkindlmarket Des Moines Silent Auction tree decorating. Once the form has been submitted, additional information will be sent via email.
If you have any questions, contact Missy Mootz at [email protected].
** Cut trees are not perfect and will have a tendency to lean. We have upgraded our stands this year to help with leaning, but they will not always allow for the optimal display of the tree. We will present the trees in the most positive way given our circumstances. Please manage your expectations accordingly.
Be one of the first to experience Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2019 during this private, ticketed preview party at Principal Park, on Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 5 – 9pm.
This event grants you exclusive access to the market before it officially opens to the public.
Be one of the first to get your 2019 commemorative mug, meet and mingle with select vendors and get a head start on your holiday shopping.
Pick from two ticket packages:
VIP guests:
General Admission guests:
For guests with families, we offer a special Kid’s Package:
Please Note: The Kid’s Package is only valid for children 10 years of age or younger. (Children 0-4 years of age are free.) Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
Event details:
A limited number of VIP tickets are available for purchase. Tickets are non-transferable, and all ticket purchases are final at time of purchase. Buy your tickets TODAY before they sell out!
We look forward to celebrating the 4th Annual Christkindlmarket Des Moines with you at our 2019 Preview Event!
This year, we are pleased to work with the following hotels. Located near Principal Park, these properties are perfect for guests visiting Christkindlmarket Des Moines.
201 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Book your group rate for Christkindlmarket Des Moines by calling 515-280-3828 or 877-238-8898 and requesting the group rate for “Christkindlmarket”
Cutoff Date: November 5, 2019
Amenities
418 6th Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309
Book your group rate for Christkindlmarket Des Moines by calling 800-993-2451 and requesting the group rate for “Christkindlmarket Des Moines”
Cutoff Date: November 7, 2019 5pm CST
120 SW Water St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Book your group rate for Christkindlmarket Des Moines by calling 515-244-1650 and requesting the group rate for “Christkindlmarket Des Moines”
Cutoff Date: November 14, 2019
333 SW 11th St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Book your group rate for Christkindlmarket Des Moines by calling 800-HOLIDAY and requesting the group rate for “Christkindlmarket Des Moines”
Cutoff Date: November 5, 2019, 3pm CST
Amenities
As we continue to host Des Moines European Heritage Association programs and get ready to produce Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2019, we’re finding a lot of memorable moments along the way. We’re grateful to have Gail’s Photography and Designs to capture those for us as our 2019 Photography Sponsor.
Gail retired from Lifetouch Portrait Studios in June 2014. The next month, she opened her own photography business. Her subjects are usually children and families. She also designs word art that are offered in metal or in print. Her favorite part of her job is seeing families enjoying themselves and capturing moments for them to keep for generations.
Gail is looking forward to looking at the unique gifts that are offered. Her involvement with Christkindlmarket Des Moines was inspired by her Italian heritage and passion for learning about other cultures.
“I believe that learning about and understanding what other cultures have to offer is essential in our society,” Gail said.
She also encourages people interested in European heritage to get involved with Des Moines European Heritage Association and Christkindlmarket Des Moines.
“There’s great connections to be made and everyone brings something special to it that only they can give.”
Take a look at Gail’s Facebook Fan Page to see her great work. You’ll see Gail at all of our 2019 programs as well!
Thank you, Gail, for your support!
Des Moines European Heritage Association invites you to become a performer at the 4th Annual Christkindlmarket Des Moines taking place December 6 – 8, 2019 at Principal Park.
In its first three years, this cultural experience has attracted over 95,000 visitors.
If you have applied in the past, but were not accepted, we encourage you to complete an application each year. The programming committee takes several factors into consideration when choosing the slate of performers each year.
Performances typically seen at Christkindlmarkets include (but are not limited to): European folk music players, European folk music singers, yodeling, guitarist, accordionist, clogging, folk dancers, Scottish pipes & drums, high school choirs, children’s choirs, violinists, bell choirs, church choirs, story-tellers, brass bands, alpine horn blowers, marionette/ puppeteer, Schuhplattler Verein, vocal performances in European languages, harpists, etc. We will provide a four-sided, forced-air heated tent at a location to be determined by Christkindlmarket Des Moines event planning committee in Principal Park’s Main Lot. A lighted stage within the tent will be provided. The size of the stage in 2018 was 30’ x 16’.
Our performer guide will give you an overview of the needs assessment process and requirements. As soon as you fill out the needs assessment, it will be reviewed.
What is the timeline for the process?
2019 Performer Information Guide
Complete the 2019 Performer Needs Assessment |
Des Moines European Heritage Association invites you to become a vendor at the 4th Annual Christkindlmarket Des Moines taking place December 6 – 8, 2019 at Principal Park.
In its first three years, this cultural experience has attracted over 95,000 visitors.
The quality of a traditional Christmas market depends on maintaining a high standard of the vendor products it offers. Christkindlmarket Des Moines is dedicated to immersing visitors in a world of folklore and craftsmanship as well as enticing them with traditional, seasonal culinary specialties to provide an experience filled with European elegance and charm. See Google Images of Christmas markets around the world.
Our vendor guide will give you an overview of the application process and requirements. As soon as you fill out the application, it will be reviewed internally. You will receive feedback by April 15, 2019 at the latest.
If you have applied in the past, but were not accepted, we encourage you to complete an application each year. The vendor committee takes several factors into consideration when choosing the slate of vendors each year. We will continue to add wooden vendor stalls and not all vendors that participated in the past are asked to return which results in openings.
Products typically found at Christkindlmarkets throughout the world, which include (but are not limited to): decorative fresh wreaths and centerpieces; one-of-a-kind handmade items that can be made and demonstrated on site; holiday ornaments of all colors, materials and sizes; nutcrackers; cuckoo clocks; beer steins; wooden toys; jewelry; wood carvings; European sweets and treats; sausages; sauerkraut; potato pancakes; waffles; crepes; stollen; gingerbread; roasted nuts; cakes and pastries; German smokers; candles; wooden nativity scenes; items made from hand-blown glass; clay and ceramic pottery items; tea light holders; Eastern Slavic handcrafted gifts, such as nesting dolls and papier-mâché lacquer boxes; lace; leather products; beer and wine glasses; wooden toys; handwoven garments and more.
View all Vendor Testimonials
Read the 2019 Vendor Guide (Required)
Apply to be a 2019 Vendor
City of Des Moines Outdoor Events Requirements (Food vendors please read)
Application Deadline: March 15, 2019
Creative Sponsor Darcy Hines Designs is back again to help visually present Christkindlmarket Des Moines to our community. You may have seen her work last year in the promotional flyers, posters and signage at the event.
Darcy Hines is the owner and graphic designer at Darcy Hines Designs. Her work focuses on typography and a clean style. She enjoys working with clients who allow her to be creative with her design choices. She often works on creating brand standards and stationary.
According to Darcy, she was motivated to get involved by the unique nature of our event.
“I love the idea of bringing such a festive and creative event to Des Moines in the months where people are normally bundled up in their houses. I think it’s a great opportunity to bring people together as families, offer them a chance to experience a culture they normally wouldn’t be able to, and breathe some light into those cold winter months with hot cider and hand-made Christmas gifts.”
Thank you for your work, Darcy!
Des Moines European Heritage Association connects Iowans with European traditions, language education and cultural experiences; and it provides resources and tools to other cultural heritage organizations.
The organizers of Christkindlmarket Des Moines are proud to partner with Carpenters Local 106. Fabricated by Waukee and Johnston High Schools and stored at Centennial Warehouse, Carpenters Local 106 will again help us set up our wooden vendor stalls at Christkindlmarket Des Moines. The following is from the Carpenters Local 106:
Why is this partnership Important:
Carpenters Local 106 has been a part of Des Moines Heritage for over 120 years. As Local 106 members, we strive to offer our skills to help build up the city and people of Des Moines. Many of our members have varying heritages and backgrounds including European heritage. Which they also value to continue their traditions.
How is Carpenters 106 involved in our communities:
Our members are very involved in the community in varies ways. Whether it be from coaching our kid’s sports teams or being a PTA member at their schools, or working closely with our church groups. As an organization we offer scholarships, donate to Toys-For-Tots, sponsor Jolly Holiday Lights and Iowa Heart are a few. Any opportunity we can to show off our specific skills and help with community projects like handy cap ramps or just helping out a friend or neighbor you can count on us.
Things people don’t know about Unions:
We are dedicated and fight to make sure the working class is protected, safe and getting what they deserve. Unions have provided very long and reliable sustaining careers, pensions and health benefits for so many people, for many of years. We value productivity, safety and craftsmanship. Our priority is education and providing it at no cost to our members.
Des Moines European Heritage Association connects Iowans with European traditions, language education and cultural experiences; and it provides resources and tools to other cultural heritage organizations.