Drake University Sponsors Christkindlmarket Des Moines
Des Moines European Heritage Association is pleased to announce that the Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2016 Christmas Tree will be sponsored by Drake University. For those of you familiar with European-style Christmas markets, you’ll know that the Christmas tree is an integral focal point of these event and a long-standing tradition.
The mission of Drake University’s Department of World Languages and Cultures is to provide students with opportunities to develop functional competence in a language other than English and to foster the development of globally responsible students.
In doing so, they emphasize the development of speaking skills, cultural understanding, and responsible global citizenship. Their students also focus on all other aspects of developing language skills for communicative purposes. Many of their students study abroad, obtain employment with companies that have international interests, earn scholarships, and attend graduate school in areas that incorporate their language abilities.
They currently offer courses in American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Students who study abroad and complete their certificate program are able to obtain transcriptable evidence of their cultural and linguistic competence. Those interested in teaching a language can obtain an endorsement through Drake’s School of Education. Students who excel in their language studies are also able to join a national honor society that recognizes their excellence and actively promotes language learning in a variety of ways throughout the academic year. Many languages also have weekly conversation tables available even for those not enrolled in classes.
We are proud to partner with Drake University to produce Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2016!
As a grassroots non-profit, Des Moines European Heritage Association serves as a platform to carry on European traditions, support language education and to create cultural awareness. We are a resource for Iowans, immigrants, travel enthusiasts and international business professionals to connect with European cultural heritage and for cultural organizations who want to engage with their members in a cohesive and centralized manner.
Meet Your Event Planning Committee Members | Carrie Gosnell
Tell us about yourself.
I am a math nerd by trade and a world traveler and tap dancer by night. I’ve always had diverse interests, as my teacher mother instilled in me an excitement of learning. I was fortunate enough to travel to Europe for the first time at the age of 13. I learned the German language for fun as an elective in college, and I was able to fit in a semester abroad in Salzburg, Austria. Since that experience, I have been addicted to world travel and would call myself a citizen of the world.
Why are you in Christkindlmarket Des Moines?
When I met people in Europe, I found out that we had so much in common. In reality, it only makes sense, since I am 100% European descent. (50% Danish & 25% German with some other stuff mixed in) However, I don’t always acknowledge how much those roots have influenced our family traditions we have today. I’m excited to make some of those connections, for me and for other European descended Americans, by bringing something so European to our community.
Why should people become involved?
It’s easy to become isolated from the rest of the world in a country as large and diverse as the United States. Yet the world is so beautiful and full of opportunities to share and learn about each other. By participating in Christkindlmarket Des Moines, you will be sharing an experience with people who do the same thing in countries all over the world and has been going on for over 500 years. You will be a part of a worldwide tradition.
As a grassroots non-profit, Des Moines European Heritage Association serves as a platform to carry on European traditions, support language education and to create cultural awareness. We are a resource for Iowans, immigrants, travel enthusiasts and international business professionals to connect with European cultural heritage and for cultural organizations who want to engage with their members in a cohesive and centralized manner.
Open House at Jasper Winery
On December 5, the board of the Des Moines European Heritage Association and Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2016 event planning committee held an open house at Jasper Winery from 1-3pm. We enjoyed warm coffee, authentic apple strudel from Strudl Haus and Jasper Winery’s Glühwein!
As a grassroots non-profit, Des Moines European Heritage Association serves as a platform to carry on European traditions, support language education and to create cultural awareness. We are a resource for Iowans, immigrants, travel enthusiasts and international business professionals to connect with European cultural heritage and for cultural organizations who want to engage with their members in a cohesive and centralized manner.
Get Involved with Christkindlmarket Des Moines | Plan
Continuing in our series on how to get involved with Christkindlmarket Des Moines, in addition to sponsoring and attending, you could also help plan this amazing event!
Vorosmarty Square, Budapest, Hungary
Christkindlmarket Des Moines is a German-inspired Christmas market whose goal is to educate and entertain the community by exposing them to European-style foods, products and activities. We plan on having regional vendors sell their hand-crafted wares and ethnic foods from traditional wooden stalls, an entertainment area where polka bands, choirs, and bell ringers can perform, a kid’s area where they can participate in various cultural activities and a beer tent offering European-style beverages.
The event planning committee is currently meeting on the second Wednesday of the month at the Des Moines Central Library from 6:45pm – 8pm. Our next meeting is Wednessday, December 9th. We anticipate the number of meetings increasing as we get closer to the event. Areas where we could use support include marketing, sponsorship, operations, vendor relations, volunteer coordination, program planning for the entertainment area, general programming for the event, the kid’s area and the beer tent.
If you’re interested in helping plan this event, please contact Suzanne Hull at [email protected]. She’ll answer any questions you might have and get you up to speed.
Did you miss us on Insight on Business “the News Hour with Michael Libbie”
Did you miss Suzanne Hull on Insight on Business “the News Hour with Michael Libbie” on Tuesday, November 24th? Click the link below to listen to the podcast during which they talked about Christkindlmarket Des Moines and our Open House we have coming up on December 5!
Read about the show and download the podcast if you missed it here
Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only business broadcast in the Des Moines Metro and a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications a full service advertising agency based in Des Moines. Connect with them on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour and, for more, here is their Facebook Page.
Listen to us on Insight on Business The News Hour with Michael Libbie
Suzanne Hull will be on Insight on Business “the News Hour with Michael Libbie” on Tuesday, November 24th, to talk about Christkindlmarket Des Moines and our Open House we have coming up on December 5! Tune in to AM-940 or FM 104.5 at 5:05pm. For those with an HD receiver they’re at 103.3 HD2.
Read about the show and download the podcast if you missed it here
Read about the show and listen to the broadcast here
Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only business broadcast in the Des Moines Metro and a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications a full service advertising agency based in Des Moines. Connect with them on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour and, for more, here is their Facebook Page.
AmazonSmile | Support Us While You Shop Online!
We are excited to announce that as of today, friends of Christkindlmarket Des Moines will have the option of making a huge impact on our organization while doing their holiday shopping through Amazon! The holiday shopping season is just around the corner, and many of us are looking to online shopping to avoid the chaos of crowded shopping malls and Black Friday mobs.
To get started using AmazonSmile, just follow this link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-2364174
This will take you to the AmazonSmile portal and directly link you to supporting Des Moines European Heritage Association. Then, all you have to do is use the website to shop as you normally would, and your eligible purchases will automatically generate donations to our organization!
Please join us in spreading the word to your friends by sharing the above link on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms you may use.
Thank you, and happy shopping!
Background on AmazonSmile
Amazon has long been a go-to website for people to buy everything from clothing, books, groceries, and Christmas gifts. And now, Amazon has sweetened the deal by allowing shoppers to give back to their favorite non-profit organization, just by doing what they’re already doing – shopping online!
When Amazon customers shop via the AmazonSmile portal, customers are prompted to select a charitable organization of their choosing. Then, for all eligible purchases purchased through AmazonSmile, The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the selected charitable organization.
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Get Involved with Christkindlmarket Des Moines | Attend
Christkindlmarket Des Moines will take place in Western Gateway Park (just west of the downtown Des Moines Library) December 2 – 4, 2016. There will be something for everyone, so please mark your calendars and invite your friends to Like the Facebook Fan Page.
Dec 2nd, 2016: 11am – 9pm
Dec 3rd, 2016: 11am – 9pm
Dec 4th, 2016: 11am – 5pm
Christmas Market in Jena, Germany
WHAT IS CHRISTKINDLMARKET DES MOINES?
- Mission: Educate, entertain and delight the Midwest by producing Iowa’s premiere German-inspired Christmas market
- 30 vendors (5 food and 15 non food), vending outdoors in stalls
- Kinder Korner: an indoor area where kids can be exposed to various European languages, sing songs, color pictures, hear traditional stories, etc.
- Entertainment: high school choirs, church choirs, carolers dressed in period costume, traditional brass bands, blacksmith demonstrations, bell choirs, etc.
- Google Images of Christmas Markets around the world – http://ow.ly/w2bJZ
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_market
WHY PRODUCE THIS EVENT IN DES MOINES?
- A European-style Christmas Market in Des Moines will provide a warm, friendly gathering place for residents and tourists.
- This experience will provide the perfect field trip opportunity for teachers and professors of European languages and cultures.
- Children will be exposed to different cultures through crafts, songs and food, creating an awareness of other cultures.
- Charming Christmas markets are one answer to holiday commercialism. Instead of mass-produced gifts, these markets feature unique, hand-crafted items, purchased from vendors who have often crafted the items themselves.
- Regional businesses will have the opportunity to showcase their seasonal products.
Get Involved With Christkindlmarket Des Moines | Sponsor
We are currently pursuing sponsors (and writing grants!) so we can offer Christkidlmarket Des Moines free of charge to attendees. If you or your organization value the arts, culture and enriching the community in which you live, work and play, this is a great opportunity.
We have an amazing opportunity for you to see your sponsorship continue beyond next year’s event in the form of a vendor hut! We are working with Waukee High School Industrial Arts students to construct our vendor huts. A traditional Christmas market just isn’t the same without vendor huts! Funds provided by a vendor hut sponsorship will go towards the purchase of materials to produce one hut which will be used for many years to come.
General sponsorship levels start as low as $50 up to the Platinum level. Exclusive naming right opportunities are available for the Presenting Sponsor, Beer Tent, Kinder Korner, Programming Stage, Christmas Tree Sponsor and Glühwein Sponsor.
If this sounds like something you or your organization are interested in, please contact Suzanne Hull at [email protected] to discuss the possibilities!
Christkindlmarket Des Moines Open House
Join us on December 5, 2015 from 1-3pm in Jasper Winery‘s Barrel Room for an open house to meet the board of the Des Moines European Heritage Association and planning committee for Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2016.
Take a break from your holiday shopping to warm up and learn about what we have planned for the event and how you can become involved. Enjoy warm coffee, sweet treats and Jasper Winery’s Glühwein while they last!
Please RSVP on the Facebook Event Page. We hope you can join us!
Remarks at 2:30pm.