Krampuslauf (Running of the Krampi) at #CDM2025
Krampi handlers and those participating in costume are asked to reserve a free ticket.
Help us celebrate Krampusnacht (Krampus Night, traditionally observed on December 5) the following evening with a Krampus parade at Christkindlmarket Des Moines.
A Krampuslauf (Running of the Krampuses) is a fun run or walk of celebrants dressed as the wicked beast. Dust off your Krampus costume and join the procession led by led by Saint Nicholas and your handlers, as you portray traditional (and family-friendly) Krampi.
Where the parade takes you after Christkindlmarket Des Moines is up to you and your handlers. But do let the merriment continue!
Who is Krampus?
• Hear the proper pronunciation: Krampus is pronounced “krohm-poo-s” as in “con & puss,” NOT “kram-puh-s” as in “campus.
• Video: Top 5 Krampus Facts and Origin
• Video: Krampus parade in Hollabrunn, Austria
• Video: Who Is Krampus? | National Geographic
Don’t have a Krampus costume? Here are a few resources:
• https://www.etsy.com/market/krampus_costume
• http://krampuslosangeles.com/austrian-suits-masks-for-sale/
• Amazon: http://ow.ly/G15B50u3HDn
Siegwerk USA | 2025 Weihnachtswald Sponsor
We’re pleased to announce Siegwerk USA as the Weihnachtswald Sponsor of Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2025.
Siegwerk was founded in Siegburg, Germany in 1830 as a retailer of manufactured goods. The company capitalized on its expertise in printing obtained from the “Kattunfabrik”, a fabric print shop, and progressed to become one of the top international manufacturers of printing inks and coatings. Globally, Siegwerk employs over 5,000 people in 30 countries.
Siegwerk plays an important role in packaging, as we use color to bring products to life for our customers. Every day people come across Siegwerk inks no matter where they are, including walking down the grocery aisle where there are many offerings of examples including confectionery packaging, beverage bottles or food pouches.
Des Moines is the home of Siegwerk’s U.S. headquarters and is proud to sponsor this event, as having strong roots from Germany, and currently celebrating 200 years in business. We love seeing the European culture come to life in our city.
Christkindlmarket Des Moines Expands to Two Weekends
The European cultural experience the community has come to know and love is expanding to two weekends for twice the fun
DES MOINES, March 31, 2025 – The dates for Christkindlmarket Des Moines (CDM) 2025 have been announced by the Iowa European Cultural Connection (IECC) for Dec 4 – 7 and Dec 11 – 14, 2025 at Principal Park. With the community’s support, CDM has grown to become the second largest Christkindlmarket in the U.S. based on average daily attendance. Due to its continued success, CDM2025 will expand to include the first two weekends of December with more amazing activities, vendors and performers.
“We’re thrilled to announce the impact of the momentum we’ve been building over the past nine years we’ve been producing the Festival”, Suzanne Hull the Director of Christkindlmarket Des Moines explains. “2025 will be our 10th Festival and we couldn’t think of a better way to thank our community for their support than by listening to their wishes and expanding the Festival’s duration. Special thanks to the CDM leadership team, sponsors, donors, nonprofit partners, vendors and volunteers for helping us get to where we are today. You truly make the sights, sounds, smells and flavors of the holiday season come to life for the masses!”
Visit Christkindlmarket Des Moines to enjoy the holiday season as you participate in a 750-year-old tradition. Shop regional vendors selling old-world, hand-crafted products from wooden vendor stalls; enjoy lively performances of polka music, traditional dance and choirs in Yuletide Hall; participate in children’s activities; sip Glühwein (warm, mulled wine) and savor European beer.
The festival is open to the public free of charge:
| Thu, Dec 4, 5pm – 9pm Fri, Dec 5: 11am – 9pm Sat, Dec 6: 11am – 9pm Sun, Dec 7: 11am – 5pm | Thu, Dec 11, 5pm – 9pm Fri, Dec 12: 11am – 9pm Sat, Dec 13: 11am – 9pm Sun, Dec 14: 11am – 5pm |
IECC is always looking for enthusiastic nonprofits, volunteers, sponsors and vendors to be involved and help CDM fully encompass the European holiday spirit. Visit our website https://christkindlmarketdsm.com for more information on our nonprofit partnership program, volunteering, vendor applications and sponsor opportunities. All volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.
Prevent Child Abuse Iowa – CDM 2024 Non-Profit Silent Auction Tree Participant
Prevent Child Abuse Iowa joins CDM Silent Auction
Prevent Child Abuse Iowa will be making their first appearance in CDM’s Weihnachtswald with their tree “What About You? A Tree of Kindness and Connection.”
Inspired by PCA Iowa’s children’s book, “What About You?”, this tree celebrates the spirit of kindness and community. Adorned with colorful cutouts of the book’s characters, each ornament reminds us of the power of empathy and connection in shaping a better world for children and families. This tree invites viewers to reflect on how small acts of care can light up lives—just like the season itself.
PCA Iowa began as a grassroots effort in 1975 when advocates from health care, law enforcement, social services, public policy and other disciplines came together to raise awareness of child abuse in Iowa. Back then, many people weren’t aware of the issues regarding child safety in their communities. Fast forward to today—PCA Iowa and its partners have made huge strides in creating safe, nurturing environments for Iowa’s most vulnerable populations.
Check out PCA Iowa’s tree of kindness and connection at Christkindlmarket Des Moines December 5th – December 8th, 2024!
Mindspring Mental Health Alliance – CDM 2024 Non-Profit Silent Auction Tree Participant
First Time Participant, Mindspring Mental Health Alliance
Welcome Mindspring Mental Health Alliance as they decorate their first tree for the CDM Silent Auction 2024.
Mindspring is encouraging you take some time for you this season with their tree: “Self Care During the Holidays.” This thoughtful tree represents self-care and resilience during one of the busiest times of the year. Inspired by their popular Self-Care During the Holidays webinar, each ornament and item on the tree represents a practical strategy for managing holiday stress and maintaining balance. This tree is a warm reminder to nurture ourselves even amidst the holiday hustle.
With a mission of empowering community members through mental health education, advocacy, and support, Mindspring provides no-cost mental health education, support, and advocacy programs. All of Mindspring’s programs feature evidence-based curriculum and are available to all community members.
Find ways to take care of yourself this holiday season by biding on Mindspring Mental Health Alliance’s tree at Christkindlmarket Des Moines December 5th – December 8th, 2024!
Fort Des Moines Little League – CDM 2024 Non-Profit Silent Auction Tree Participant
Fort Des Moines Little League First Timers
Fort Des Moines Little League (FDLL) will be having a ball this year as a first time participant in the Christkindlmarket Silent Auction!
FDLL is presenting their tree “Play Ball” and can’t wait to share it with CDM patrons. America’s favorite pastime and the most wonderful time of the year come together on this tree. The ball fields and holidays with the family are two of the best ways to spend time and create memories!
Fort Des Moines Little League prides itself on being a community of families that come together around baseball. Over half of the volunteer board at Fort Des Moines is made up of members who either grew up playing at Fort Des Moines or had siblings that played at Fort Des Moines. This connection and sense of ownership is what has helped Fort Des Moines continue to grow the last several years. The objective of the League shall be to implant firmly in the children of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and respect for authority, so that they may be adjusted, stronger and happier children and will grow to be good, decent, healthy and trustworthy citizens. Fort Des Moines Little League is a youth baseball program, chartered by Little League International, serving children ages 3 -16, on the greater south side of Des Moines, Norwalk and Carlisle Iowa. Founded in 1955, Fort Des Moines Little league has been a south side tradition for 70 years! The focus of the program is to promote youth sport participation, and teach children the ideals of sportsmanship, hard-work, respect, teamwork and competition while having fun and learning the skills of the game of baseball. Fort Des Moines Little League believes in the power of youth baseball to teach life lessons that build stronger individuals and communities.
Fort Des Moines Little League offers baseball in the following age divisions.
- 3 and 4 year old Bam Bam
- 5 and 6 year old TeeBall
- 7 year old Rookie (Coach Pitch)
- 8 and 9 year old Minor (Player Pitch)
- 10, 11 and 12 year old Major (Little League)
- 13, 14, 15 and 16 year old Senior
Play ball this holiday season when you bid on Fort Des Moines Little League’s tree at Christkindlmarket Des Moines December 5th – December 8th, 2024!
Des Moines Refugee Support – CDM 2024 Non-Profit Silent Auction Tree Participant
Des Moines Refugee Support Back for a Third Year
Des Moines Refugee Support (DMRS) continues to enjoy celebrating the holidays in the Christkindlmarket Weihnachtswald as they decorate a tree for their third year!
This year, DMRS will be presenting their tree: “Unique and United.” Serving a diverse population allows room to honor the uniqueness of each individual while uniting in kindness and compassion.
DMRS identifies and bridges gaps for refugee families as they establish their new lives in Iowa. They need ongoing funding for preschool transportation for kids who would otherwise not be able to go, support for their Success Through Soccer program, and food distribution. Proceeds from the DMRS tree will go directly to fund these needs.
Bid on Des Moines Refugee Support’s “Unique and United” tree at Christkindlmarket Des Moines December 5th – December 8th, 2024!
Heartland Youth Choir | #CDM2024 Performer
Tell us about your group
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. Heartland Youth Choir has choirs for singers from the age of four, all the way through high school!
Cantilena Choir is for singers in 3rd grade and above. At this level, children participate in basic note reading and begin work with two-part harmony.
What are you most looking forward to at Christkindlmarket Des Moines?
Most looking forward to sharing our singing with a new audience and bringing the holiday spirit to everyone there!
What’s your favorite thing about performing at events like this?
Our favorite thing about performing this event is that this is a totally different experience than our usual concerts. This choir gets to sing for much longer than they do at our hosted concerts, where this choir only sings a few songs. The hustle and bustle of the marketplace, the cheerful audience, the cold outside, and the warmth in the tent make for a fun and festive performance. We also get to perform so many holiday classic tunes that we wouldn’t normally get to perform at our other performances.
Anything else you’d like to share?
If you have a singer that would be interested in joining any of our choirs at Heartland Youth Choir they are welcome to come and try out one rehearsal in the month of January for free!
New to #CDM2024 | You can get your holiday gifts all in one place!
Besides plenty of food and drinks, there are many arts and specialty gift vendors at the market! We have new vendors from all over the Midwest selling traditional European-style goods. A full list of the craft vendors can be found on the website https://christkindlmarketdsm.com. Specialty gift vendors also do demonstrations of how their wares are created; you can find the schedule of the demonstrations on the website.
Danish Brotherhood Lodge #15 – CDM 2024 Non-Profit Silent Auction Tree Participant
Danish Brotherhood Decorates for a Fifth Year
Danish Brotherhood Lodge #15 is returning for a 5th year of beautifying Chrisklindlmarket Des Moines.
If you’ve enjoyed the tales of Danish storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen, you’ll love the Danish Brotherhood’s tree this year! In addition to his world renown fairy tales, Hans was also a gifted artist and made hundreds of paper cuttings. Many of these cuttings were made as he told a story and gave them to his pint sized listeners. The Danish Brotherhood will create an inspired tree decorated with beautiful paper cuttings to honor Hans Christian Andersen and his talents.
Lodge #15 wants to promote Danish heritage and traditions in the Greater Des Moines area with their visibility at Christkindlmarket Des Moines. The Danish Brotherhood was chartered November 26, 1884 with a mission to encourage Danish tradition, support members, and other community nonprofits.
In addition to bidding on their Hans Christian Andersen tree, feel free to attend their December Christmas Potluck meeting:
- December Lodge Meeting: December 12, 2024
Bid on Danish Brotherhood Lodge #15’s whimsical tree when you visit Christkindlmarket Des Moines December 5th – December 8th, 2024
