Category Archive Home Page

BySuzanne Hull

Vendor Demonstration Schedule Announced!

With the production of Christkindlmarket Des Moines, we hope to show attendees how the items they purchase are made. To that end, we have five vendors who will also be demonstrating their craft. We hope you’re inspired!

Andy Klindt – Chainsaw Carvings, Des Moines, IA | DEMONSTRATION

Andy Klindt is an Iowa artisan specializing in chainsaw sculpture and metal design. Fanciful, functional, or a fusion of each…watching Andy craft original pieces is sure to delight people of all ages!

Offering: Chainsaw carvings, hand-forged metal items, and mixed metal and wood items

Price Range: $20 – $2000

Times:

Friday, December 1: 11:30am, 2:30pm, 4:30pm, 7:30pm

Saturday, December 2: 11:30am, 2:30pm, 4:30pm, 7:30pm

Sunday, December 3: 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm


Indianola Glass Creations, Indianola, IA | DEMONSTRATION

Come in and enjoy the world of glass. Indianola Glass Creations designs and creates colorful Stained and Fused Glass ornaments, suncatchers, jewelry and home decor. They will be demonstrating blown glass ornaments.

Offering: Stained Glass, Fused Glass & Blown Glass ornaments and suncatchers. Fused glass and china jewelry. Fused & Stained Glass clocks and home decor art pieces. Wine bottle tealights.

Price Range: $12 – $150

Times:

Friday, December 1: 3:30pm, 6pm

Saturday, December 2: 11:45am, 3pm, 6pm

Sunday, December 3: 12:30pm, 3:30pm, 4:15pm


Dakota Tinworks, Estelline, SD | DEMONSTRATION

Dakota Tinworks is a family-owned business dedicated to making and selling traditional tinwares and ornaments, hand-made exclusively by tinsmith Karl-Josef Schmidt, using primarily antique, 19th century tinsmith’s tools.

Offering: Handmade tinware of all kinds: tin Christmas ornaments, tin tree tinsel, tin tree toppers, tin cookie cutters, tin biscuit cutters, tin candle holders, tin candle sconces, tin cups, and tin candle lanterns.

Price Range: $5 – $150

Times:

Friday, December 1: 12:30pm (Making tinsel), 1:45pm (Making tin ornaments), 3pm (Making a small candle holder), 4:15pm (Making tinsel), 5:30pm (Making tin ornaments), 6:45pm (Making a small candle holder), 8pm (Making tinsel)

Saturday, December 2: 12pm (Making tinsel), 1:15pm (Making tin ornaments), 2:30pm (Making a small candle holder), 3:45pm (Making tinsel), 5pm (Making tin ornaments), 6:15pm (Making a small candle holder), 7:30pm (Making tinsel)

Sunday, December 3: 12pm (Making tinsel), 1pm (Making tin ornaments), 2pm (Making a small candle holder), 3pm (Making tinsel), 4pm (Making tin ornaments)


Quilted Gardens & Nursery, Des Moines, IA | DEMONSTRATION

Quilted Gardens & Nursery is an independent nursery specializing in unusual and collector perennials, hostas, trees, shrubs and conifers.

Offering: Hand made wreaths, swags, kissing balls and wood, straw and glass ornaments, table top trees, garland holiday optical glasses.

Price Range: $5 – $150

Times:

Friday, December 1: 1pm, 6:15pm

Saturday, December 2: 1pm, 4pm

Sunday, December 3: 1pm


Wild Cherry Spoon Co, Rock Island, IL | DEMONSTRATION

Wild Cherry Spoon Co. handcarves unique, one of a kind, pieces of wooden kitchenware along the banks of the Mississippi, in Rock Island, IL.

Offering: Handcarved wooden: spoons, spatulas, kitchen utensils, rice paddles, chopsticks, cutting/cheese boards, baby spoons, cheese spreaders, pizza paddles and pizza cutters, coffee and ice cream scoops.

Price Range: $5 – $75

Times: To Be Determined

BySuzanne Hull

Silent Auction Tree Participants Announced!

As a part of Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2017, we’ve invited non-profit organizations to decorate a Christmas tree that will be offered during a silent auction at the event.

The following organizations will be decorating 6′-8′ trees on site that will be sold during the market and via a silent auction. The organization that decorates the tree will receive 100% of the funds earned from the auction from Des Moines European Heritage Association following the event, and minimum bids will start at $50. All items used on the tree (including the tree) will be given to the winning bidder.

Please plan to support your favorite local non-profit by visiting the Information Area at Christkindlmarket Des Moines and placing the winning bid!

BySuzanne Hull

Volunteer at Christkindlmarket Des Moines

Des Moines European Heritage Association (DMEHA) invites you to be a part of something great: Christkindlmarket Des Moines. Volunteers are integral to a successful community event. We need your help and we have several volunteer opportunities to choose from whether you’re looking for just yourself or a group. Be sure to include family members, friends and others who could join you to make it more fun!

No-shows can cause great difficulties for the planning and production of Christkindlmarket Des Moines. We ask that you report on time and remain on task for the duration of your shift(s). All volunteers must be at least 16 years old when they report for their volunteer shift. Those dealing with alcohol must be at least 21 years old when they report for their volunteer shift.

Sign Up Here!

 

 

  • Christkindlmarket Des Moines Setup: If you’ve ever wanted to see how a Christkindlmarket comes together, now’s your chance! As a volunteer on the setup team, you will work on a variety of tasks from installing Christmas trees to assembling signage. From hanging stringed lights to decorating wooden vendor stalls. **Some lifting may be required**
  • Vendor Stall Setup: Christmas markets wouldn’t be the same without traditional, wooden vendor stalls! We’ve teamed up with Waukee High School and Johnston High School Industrial Arts students who have pre-fabricated 15 wooden vendor stalls. As a volunteer on the vendor stall set up team, you will construct these pre-fabricated stalls for our vendors. **Heavy lifting definitely required**
  • Vendor Assistant: Vendors will be on site all weekend long selling their products. As a vendor assistant, you will help them unload their merchandise, as well as with setup and teardown. You may also be asked to assist in other volunteer areas as needed. **Some heavy lifting may be required**
  • Vendor Relations: Vendors may need to take a break during the long, 3-day event. As a vendor relations volunteer, you will provide our vendors with breaks upon request. You may also be asked to assist in other volunteer areas as needed.
  • Non-Profit Tree Setup: Help non-profits unload and transport their supplies to decorate their trees.
  • Waste Removal Elves: Help keep the Christkindlmarket Des Moines venue as clean as possible by ensuring garbage is placed in receptacles around the event site. As a waste removal elf, you will empty the bag receptacles into a large roll-off bin as needed.
  • DMEHA KinderKorner Booth: Do you enjoy interacting with children and families? If so, this is the perfect opportunity for you! As a DMEHA KinderKorner booth volunteer, you’ll provide an European-centric activity for children of all ages. All supplies will be provided.
  • DMEHA Information Area: Do you enjoy interacting with people? Why not volunteer at the DMEHA information area located in the KinderKorner. Help answer attendee’s questions, provide information on DMEHA, hand out site maps and entertainment schedules, etc. You’ll also be provided the cell phone number of a site leader should you receive a difficult-to-answer question. You’ll also be in charge of taking silent auction bids on clipboards for the decorated Christmas trees.
  • Programming Stage Volunteer: One of the features of Christkindlmarket Des Moines is our entertainment stage. If you’re interested in music, performances and artistry, this is the place for you. As a programming stage volunteer, you will assist the Programming site leaders to ensure that performers have arrived, are prepared to take the stage and have what they need to perform.
  • Beer Pourers: These volunteers will work with the Iowa Beer Bus team to serve beer to attendees. You will need to go through I-PACT (Iowa – Program for Alcohol Compliance) Training. After successfully passing the final test, you will receive a printable certificate of completion. The certificate is valid for a period of two years. I-PACT is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.I-PACT.com. The test takes 45 – 60 minutes to complete and can be completed online at http://iowaabd.com/education/resources as well. Please email your certificate to [email protected] or bring it with you when you begin your volunteer shift.
  • Glühwein & Kinderpunsch Sales: There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit than to serve warm, mulled wine from a wooden vendor stall to eager attendees. This holiday tradition is a Christkindlmarket staple. You will need to go through I-PACT (Iowa – Program for Alcohol Compliance) Training. After successfully passing the final test, you will receive a printable certificate of completion. The certificate is valid for a period of two years. I-PACT is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.I-PACT.com. The test takes 45 – 60 minutes to complete and can be completed online at http://iowaabd.com/education/resources as well. Please email your certificate to [email protected] or bring it with you when you begin your volunteer shift.
  • Christkindlmarket Des Moines Tear Down: As the market winds to a close on Sunday evening, we’ll have two short hours to make the magic of the Christkindlmarket Des Moines weekend disappear. Would you like to be a part of the magic? **Some lifting may be required**
  • Vendor Stall Tear Down: As soon as the vendors have vacated their vendor stall that has kept them warm all weekend, they will need to be torn down, stacked and loaded by hand cart into a straight truck. Timing is critical. You will be led by a volunteer that has experience tearing down these vendor stalls. **Heavy lifting definitely required**
  • Volunteer Relations: You will be part of the initial contact for incoming volunteers in Volunteer Headquarters. You’ll help greet and check-in volunteers, direct volunteers to assigned areas, and keep Volunteer Headquarters organized. You may also be asked to assist in other volunteer areas as needed.
  • Non-Profit Tree Tear Down: Remove ornaments and lights from non-profit trees and help silent auction winners transport these items and possibly the tree to their vehicles.

Sign Up Here!

 

BySuzanne Hull

Afternoon Tea Along the River Wrapup!

We had so much fun taking afternoon tea like a Londoner here in Des Moines on Sunday, September 17 from 2 – 4 pm!

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

-Loose-leaf British teas provided by Gong Fu Tea

-Finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and petite desserts by Trellis Catering

-Live music

-Presentation on traditional British tea culture

-Contest for the best hat or fascinator (decorative headpiece commonly worn by Brits)

-Silent auction

SPONSORS

Gong Fu Tea

Gail's Logo

Modern Woodmen Logo

 

 

 

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.

Support[1]

BySuzanne Hull

Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen | #CDM2017 Performer

Tell us about your group:

Our group is based out of Mt Vernon, IA. We have been performing since 1988 and this event will be another to add to the many different kinds of venues we already perform for.

What inspired you to get involved as a performer at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2017?

It is exciting to be a part of a celebration similar to what they do in Europe! I have read about the markets in Europe and am excited to be a part of the one here in Des Moines, IA! Plus I’ve never played outside in December!

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.

Support[1]

BySuzanne Hull

DMEHA at World Food & Music Festival – Wrap up!

We really enjoyed getting out and talking about the mission of Des Moines European Heritage Association at the World Food & Music Festival this weekend. The kids had a lot of fun as well:

    

 

 

 

 

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.

Support[1]

BySuzanne Hull

DMEHA at the World Food & Music Festival

We really enjoy getting out and talking about the mission of Des Moines European Heritage Association! We’ve had such a great summer visiting various farmers markets and festivals. We’d love to see you at the World Food & Music Festival this weekend! We’ll be on the north side of Locust Street between 12th and 13th Streets. Stop by to make a Christmas ornament and learn more about Christkindlmarket Des Moines taking place December 1 – 3, 2017!

The 2017 Festival will feature Cuisine from Around the World!
Live Entertainment – Cooking Demonstrations
$1 tastes/all entrees $6 or less
Free to attend

 

Friday, Sept. 15: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 16: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 17: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

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.

Support[1]

BySuzanne Hull

Pickle Creek Herbs | #CDM2017 Vendor

Tell us about your business

Hello from Pickle Creek Herbs! We are a small family farm in Pleasant Plain. We grow herbs, fruits, and vegetables that we then use to create artisan infused olive oils and vinegars, jams, soaps, salves, and balms. We take the process from seed to store and make everything ourselves using our own original recipes. We want to show how amazing herbs can be when they’re grown by passionate farmers who love their plants, their community, and their Iowa soil.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2017?

We do fairs and shows all around southeast Iowa, and we got involved with Christkindlmarket last year because the uniqueness of the market jumped out — we hadn’t seen anything quite like it in Iowa before. And we had such a great time with the visitors, volunteers, and vendors at the 2016 Christkindlmarket, we couldn’t wait to come back!

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2017 and why did you choose them?

To stay in the spirit of Christkindlmarket as much as possible, we’ll be selling only our handmade artisanal products that we create using our own herbs and recipes. We’ll especially be featuring festive holiday gift boxes, baskets, and bags.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Christkindlmarket Des Moines is not just shopping and eating—it’s an experience unlike anything else in Iowa. It’s especially charming when the lights start to shine, a cup of Glühwein warms the fingers (and your heart), and the cheer in the air evokes the Christmas magic you loved as a child.

 


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.

Support[1]

BySuzanne Hull

Andy Klindt | #CDM2017 Vendor

Tell us about your business

Andy Klindt is an Iowa artisan specializing in chainsaw sculpture and metal design.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2017?

Someone mentioned a European style Christmas Market was premiering downtown 2016. We love Christmas, we love winter, we love markets…it seemed like a wonderful opportunity to enjoy all these things we love wrapped up into one! Last year was so fantastic that we couldn’t miss Christkindlmarket 2017!

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2017 and why did you choose them?

We may have any combination of wood and metal, fanciful or functional! Each piece is hand crafted and one of a kind, all will make wonderful gifts…to anyone, including yourself!

Anything else you’d like to share?

Christkindlmarket 2016 was AMAZING! The people that organized the event as well as the many people that attended were wonderful! The food, the little huts, the gifts, the trees, the lights, the entertainment, the activities, THE GLÜHWEIN…It’s a perfect holiday getaway…perfect for date night, perfect for a family outing, perfect for girl time, perfect for guy time…and Christkindlmarket 2017 promises to be even MORE wonderful! Hope to see you there!!

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.

Support[1]

BySuzanne Hull

CDM2016 Planning Committee Receives Group Governor’s Volunteer Award

The CDM2016 Planning Committee is honored to have been chosen to receive the Group Governor’s Volunteer Award.

We are extremely thankful to those who have given the precious gift of their time. Thank you for your dedication and for contributing your talent.

Awards will be handed out in person during a special recognition ceremony on Monday, September 25 at 2pm at Southeast Polk High School Auditorium.

 

 

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.

Support[1]