Category Archive Vendors

Iowa European Cultural Connection invites you to become a vendor at the 8th Annual Christkindlmarket Des Moines taking place November 30 – December 3, 2023 at Principal Park.

This beloved, community-supported cultural experience attracts approximately 17,500 daily visitors from around the Midwest. (2022 total festival attendance: 70,000). We have now grown to become the second largest festival of our kind in the U.S. based on average daily attendance.

The quality of a traditional Christmas market depends on maintaining a high standard for the vendor products it offers. Christkindlmarket Des Moines is no different. We’re dedicated to immersing visitors in a world of folklore and craftsmanship as well as enticing them with traditional and seasonal culinary specialties.

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.

2023 Vendor Guide

2023 Vendor Application

2023 Electricity Request Form

We are interested in products typically offered at Christkindlmarkets throughout the world, which may include (but are not limited to): decorative fresh wreaths and centerpieces; one-of-a-kind handmade items; holiday ornaments of all colors, materials and sizes; nutcrackers; cuckoo clocks; beer steins; wooden toys; jewelry; wood carvings; pre-packaged 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; tea light holders; Eastern European/Slavic handcrafted gifts, such as nesting dolls and papier-mâché lacquer boxes; lace; leather products; beer and wine glasses; handwoven garments and more.

Vendor Testimonials

Wild Cherry Spoon Co has vended across the Midwest. From popular indie craft markets in Chicago to small first time shows. Christkindl Market Des Moines blew them all away in terms of revenue, participation, crowd size, after show sales, interesting things to see and do at the market, and volunteer support. We would love to be able to attend every subsequent market and word of advice to vendors; plan for your wildest sales expectations and then bring 4x the inventory…it sells out fast!

Tim McGuire, Wild Cherry Spoon

This show for three years has exceeded expectations! A very festive atmosphere, the volunteers were exceptional, and our needs were met by the organizers. Sales were excellent. We have been selling roasted nuts for 16 years and this is our best show. Looking forward to next year. Thanks to those that attended and to the people that put this together.

Greg Lincoln, Top of the Hill Nuts

I’ve been fortunate to sell at both the inaugural 2016 and the 2017 Christkindlmarkets. As a vendor in the Des Moines area, selling at 45 events in 2017, I can tell you this market simply blows away any other show in terms of revenue and after market sales. The hardworking and dedicated organizers have created a festive, well attended, and well organized three-day community event. Selling at the Christkindlmarket is exceedingly profitable and its just plain fun to be part of the Christmas festivities!

Betty Chamness Trost, Three Smooth Stones

We had a great time & experience this year at The Christkindlmarket. We “Curbin Cuisine” were one of the food vendors & had a busy fun weekend. Sales were good, plenty of Joy & Christmas Spirit all weekend from the market! Looking forward for 2018, had a blast!

Jarrod Fontanini, Curbin Cuisine

I was especially impressed with the advertising for Christkindlmarket Des Moines—I think the organizers did a great job of getting the word out through many different avenues. The parking for unloading was easy to get to and convenient to the booth location. The volunteers were very friendly and helpful. The booths made for a great ambience, and we loved the signs! My one reservation about the event was being outside because I am not at all a fan of cold weather, but the heaters in the booths made it comfortable enough, and the crowds were terrific all weekend.

Pickle Creek Herbs

In 2016 we set up at 125+ events around Iowa, and out of all of those events, Christkindlmarket Des Moines was our #1 event for gross sales. When accounting for the time spent at the event (sales/hour) and the cost of the booth (sales/event cost), it was also among our best events of the year (in the top 5). There were other benefits to this market as well. One is that we got to meet a lot of new customers. We’ve been vending at events in Des Moines for about 8 years, and at Christkindlmarket we sold items to people who had never heard of us before. We also could trace several visitors to our web site who clicked on a link to us from the Christkindlmarket web site. I had high hopes for this event, and in terms of both sales and marketing, this event exceeded all my expectations.

Since this was the first year, I’m excited to see how next year goes. I think it started out really well and can only get better, and I am definitely coming back if they will have me! A big thank you to everyone who helped make it happen!!

Pickle Creek Herbs

The first Christkindlmarket Des Moines was one of the most fun and well organized first-time shows we’ve had the pleasure of participating in. We were provided with ample information before the show, so setup was a breeze, and the how cute were the booths?! 

It’s always tough to predict how many people will come to a new event, but the people of Des Moines turned out in droves – the event was consistently busy all three days of the show.

So many little touches made for a really great show – the live music kept both customers and vendors in good spirits, even through cold and rainy weather. The food and hot beverages were huge draws to bring in more people along with great local products and holiday atmosphere. 

It was a great time to see people just enjoy the start to the holidays, enjoy time with each other and say cheers to just being here in Des Moines. 

Overall it was a great event that we hope to participate in for years to come!

Tammy & Adam, The Red Door Press

We are very pleased with the Christkindlmarket. It was very well organized and everyone one was very helpful.  They contacted us often to see if we had any needs and fill our requests. I was very happy with the attendance and it ws a very positive atmosphere.  Looking forward to next year.

Greg Lincoln, Top of the Hill Nuts

Worldly Goods loved being part of the inaugural Christkindlemarket!  The volunteers were fun and professional to work with and did their best to accommodate all situations that came up this first year.  We look forward to the future; seeing old friends and meeting new ones as the market continues to grow and expand!

Worldly Goods

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of the first annual Christkindlmarket in Des Moines. The volunteers and staff did a wonderful job of organizing this Christmas Market, and took great care of the vendors. This was a fun, family-friendly event that had something to offer everyone. We look forward to being a part of this cultural experience next year.

Kathleen Gill, Royal Mile

Christkindlmarket Des Moines’ volunteer crew is getting excited about this year’s market coming the first weekend of December. This year’s market will have many of the gift and specialty item vendor favorites from prior years, but we’ll also be seeing several new offerings. And a ton of new food options! With all the delicious new food vendors we recommend coming hungry and often throughout the four-day cultural experience to enjoy these menus offered only at Christkindlmarket Des Moines!

New 2022 Food Vendors:

• Big Mama’s Bistro – Big Mama’s will have traditional German food including Fasnacht, Kohl Und Hackfleisch over potatoes and Kartoffelsuppe!

• Culinary Nomad DSM – Culinary Nomad DSM features traditional Northern Italian food including porchetta sandwiches, Bolognese arancini, gianduja hot chocolate and ricotta zeppole.

• FIKA – FIKA, a Swedish word meaning to take a coffee and pastry break. FIKA will have authentic Swedish baked goods and will offer vegan and gluten friendly options. Don’t miss their delicious Swedish Christmas cakes.

• German Taste – German Taste will offer a traditional German icon, the “Currywurst”.

• Hot Off The Presses – Hot Off The Presses food truck will offer truffled raclette grilled cheese, Schweinebraten sandwich, Basic Grilled Cheese, Tomato Basil Bisque!

• Hotsy Totsy – Hotsy Toasty has the fastest, freshest & funnest food truck transformed intoBavarian creations with tots!

• Sticky Fingers – Sticky Fingers will have crepes of all kinds! Sweet, savory, Mediterranean!

• Sweet Treats – Sweet Treats will have roasted nuts. Pecans, Almonds, and Cashews glazedwith either Cinnamon or Maple!

New 2022 Craft Vendors:

• Erin Hill Art Studio – Erin Hill is a local artist that creates one-of-a-kind decorative and functional ceramics. The individually designed pieces are often detailed using the sgraffito process.

• Good Moon Pottery – Good Moon Pottery has handmade functional ceramic pottery and gifts that are unique to make everyday rituals special.

• Rebeline.co – Rebeline.co has custom leather goods including bags, purses, wallets, keychains, home goods, pillows and coasters.

For a full list of this year’s vendors check out the Christkindlmarket Des Moines web site. On the site you’ll
find a demonstration schedule for vendors that are showing how they make their goods at the market.
You’ll also find options to pre-order some custom-made gifts. And of course, you’ll find all the
information/events happening at the festival all weekend!

Tell us about your business

Pinicon Farm Crafts is a family business that was started by Jeff and Marlys Sowers to combine Jeff’s love for woodworking with Marlys’ love for basket weaving. For over 40 years they taught classes, attended events, and shared their craftsmanship across the country. Marlys continues to weave Nantucket-style baskets and Nathan Sowers has taken over the woodworking including shaker boxes, topography maps, and dovetail boxes.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022?

We are great friends with Barry and Larry of Quilted Gardens Nursery who encouraged us to participate last year.

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022 and why did you choose them?

Shaker boxes, Nantucket baskets, willow baskets, sweet grass baskets, dovetail boxes, and other handcrafted items. Nantucket baskets and shaker boxes have been the staple of the business since the beginning but our inventory has expanded with new interests throughout the family.

Tell us about your business

Hello from Pickle Creek Herbs! We are a family farm in Pleasant Plain, Iowa. We create artisan infused olive oils and vinegars, soaps, salves, and balms using the herbs, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, berries, and other fruits that we grow in our gardens. We make everything by hand using our own original recipes. Savor the difference that Iowa-grown makes!

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022?

We have been Christkindlmarket Des Moines vendors for several years. We keep coming back because there’s nothing else quite like it in Iowa. We love the festive ambience, the scrumptious nibbles, the warming Glühwein, and most of all the smiling, happy, cheerful people!

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022 and why did you choose them?

We’ll be selling our handmade artisanal products, including our very popular Apple Strudel Balsamic that we created especially for Christkindlmarket Des Moines. We’ll also have lots of holiday gift boxes, baskets, and bags in traditional Christmas colors to help celebrate the season.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Christkindlmarket Des Moines is not just shopping and eating—it’s a unique holiday celebration. Come and let the lights, the music, and the cheer in the air warm you with the Christmas magic you loved as a child!

Tell us about your business

The Danish Windmill is a living history museum and gift shop. Proceeds from our store go towards the preservation of the historic windmill brought over from Denmark to Elk Horn, Iowa in 1976. Our store specializes in authentic Danish and Scandinavian goods including collectibles, décor, food, gifts, and Christmas-themed merchandise. These items are carefully curated to offer visitors and customers a complete, authentic Scandinavian experience.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022?

We’ve been a part of Christkindlmarket Des Moines for a few years now and expect to enjoy the same unique and festive atmosphere in 2022. While the holiday season is particularly important to our own retail operations, we hold Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022 in high regard as a premium experience and are proud to serve alongside other vendors as an outlet for unique and authentic Scandinavian-themed goods.

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022 and why did you choose them?

In keeping with our gift shop’s orientation, we will be selling Scandinavian-themed gifts and Christmas-related items. We believe this merchandise adequately captures the cultural identity of the Danish Windmill and the everyday experiences of our visitors.

Tell us about your business:  

Three In One Artworks is a single artist business creating unique thrown and handbill ceramic art. 

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022?

I originally learned about the event while my daughter was a dancer in Irish Dance at Christkindlmarket Des Moines, five years ago. This will be my fourth year as a vendor.  

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022 and why did you choose them?

My work consists of mugs, platters, Christmas ornaments, bowls, trays and Iowa shadow boxes. These items are of a size that is easy to transport, and are in a price range that most attendees consider reasonable. 

Anything else you’d like to share?

My work is based thematically on agricultural and Midwestern motifs.

Tell us about your business

Now in its seventh year, Dakota Tinworks is a family-owned business, specializing in traditional, handmade tinware and tin decorative items. Karl, the tinsmith in the family, uses mostly 19th century tinsmith’s tools in the creation of his tin goods. He trained as a historical tinsmith with Loren Miller at the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island, Nebraska, and with master tinsmith William McMillen at Historic Eastfield Village in New York. He’s also taken an advanced tinsmithing workshop co-taught by Steve Delisle, head tinsmith at Colonial Williamsburg.

The work he produces is split between decorative tin items, like Christmas ornaments and tree tinsel/icicles, and authentic reproduction tinware, like pierced tin lanterns and other museum-quality tinware.

While he works mostly in tinplate, he’s also been doing some decorative work in copper.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022?

We were invited to participate in CDM 2017, 2018, 2019, CDM Curbside in 2020, and again for CDM 2021, so we’ve been a part of CDM almost since the beginning. We’ve enjoyed being part of the Christkindlmarket Des Moines family of vendors and look forward to being at the event every year.  People seem to really like the tin goods we produce and sell. We enjoy meeting everyone who stops by our pop-up tents. We’re looking forward to this year’s Christkindlmarket Des Moines!

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2022 and why did you choose them?

Our tin ornaments and tree tinsel remain very popular, so we will, of course, have plenty of those on hand. We also plan to offer pierced tin candle shades, with traditional designs, cookie cutters, and pierced tin lanterns. We’ll have a full range of other tin items for sale, but we’re also planning on adding a variety of similar items made in copper, too, including ornaments and tinsel/icicles. The colored tinsel we introduced at CDM 2021 was extremely popular (we sold out!), so we’ll be sure to bring plenty more of that for CDM 2022.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Every year, we introduce some new products, so be sure to follow Dakota Tinworks on Facebook, so you’ll be informed of the latest things we’re creating in the workshop. We’re excited to be a part of this wonderful event once again. I hope people look for our red and white striped twin pop-up tents and come by to see a demonstration and check out our range of products!

Iowa European Cultural Connection invites you to become a vendor at the 7th Annual Christkindlmarket Des Moines taking place December 1 – 4, 2022 at Principal Park.

This beloved, community-supported cultural experience attracts approximately 16,250 daily visitors from around the Midwest. (2021 total festival attendance: 65,000)

The quality of a traditional Christmas market depends on maintaining a high standard for the vendor products it offers. Christkindlmarket Des Moines is no different. We’re dedicated to immersing visitors in a world of folklore and craftsmanship as well as enticing them with traditional and seasonal culinary specialties.

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 March 31, 2022 at the latest.

2022 Vendor Guide

2022 Vendor Application

2022 Electricity Request Form

We are interested in products typically offered at Christkindlmarkets throughout the world, which may include (but are not limited to): decorative fresh wreaths and centerpieces; one-of-a-kind handmade items; holiday ornaments of all colors, materials and sizes; nutcrackers; cuckoo clocks; beer steins; wooden toys; jewelry; wood carvings; pre-packaged 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; tea light holders; Eastern European/Slavic handcrafted gifts, such as nesting dolls and papier-mâché lacquer boxes; lace; leather products; beer and wine glasses; handwoven garments and more.

Vendor Testimonials

Wild Cherry Spoon Co has vended across the Midwest. From popular indie craft markets in Chicago to small first time shows. Christkindl Market Des Moines blew them all away in terms of revenue, participation, crowd size, after show sales, interesting things to see and do at the market, and volunteer support. We would love to be able to attend every subsequent market and word of advice to vendors; plan for your wildest sales expectations and then bring 4x the inventory…it sells out fast!

Tim McGuire, Wild Cherry Spoon

This show for three years has exceeded expectations! A very festive atmosphere, the volunteers were exceptional, and our needs were met by the organizers. Sales were excellent. We have been selling roasted nuts for 16 years and this is our best show. Looking forward to next year. Thanks to those that attended and to the people that put this together.

Greg Lincoln, Top of the Hill Nuts

I’ve been fortunate to sell at both the inaugural 2016 and the 2017 Christkindlmarkets. As a vendor in the Des Moines area, selling at 45 events in 2017, I can tell you this market simply blows away any other show in terms of revenue and after market sales. The hardworking and dedicated organizers have created a festive, well attended, and well organized three-day community event. Selling at the Christkindlmarket is exceedingly profitable and its just plain fun to be part of the Christmas festivities!

Betty Chamness Trost, Three Smooth Stones

We had a great time & experience this year at The Christkindlmarket. We “Curbin Cuisine” were one of the food vendors & had a busy fun weekend. Sales were good, plenty of Joy & Christmas Spirit all weekend from the market! Looking forward for 2018, had a blast!

Jarrod Fontanini, Curbin Cuisine

I was especially impressed with the advertising for Christkindlmarket Des Moines—I think the organizers did a great job of getting the word out through many different avenues. The parking for unloading was easy to get to and convenient to the booth location. The volunteers were very friendly and helpful. The booths made for a great ambience, and we loved the signs! My one reservation about the event was being outside because I am not at all a fan of cold weather, but the heaters in the booths made it comfortable enough, and the crowds were terrific all weekend.

Pickle Creek Herbs

In 2016 we set up at 125+ events around Iowa, and out of all of those events, Christkindlmarket Des Moines was our #1 event for gross sales. When accounting for the time spent at the event (sales/hour) and the cost of the booth (sales/event cost), it was also among our best events of the year (in the top 5). There were other benefits to this market as well. One is that we got to meet a lot of new customers. We’ve been vending at events in Des Moines for about 8 years, and at Christkindlmarket we sold items to people who had never heard of us before. We also could trace several visitors to our web site who clicked on a link to us from the Christkindlmarket web site. I had high hopes for this event, and in terms of both sales and marketing, this event exceeded all my expectations.

Since this was the first year, I’m excited to see how next year goes. I think it started out really well and can only get better, and I am definitely coming back if they will have me! A big thank you to everyone who helped make it happen!!

Pickle Creek Herbs

The first Christkindlmarket Des Moines was one of the most fun and well organized first-time shows we’ve had the pleasure of participating in. We were provided with ample information before the show, so setup was a breeze, and the how cute were the booths?! 

It’s always tough to predict how many people will come to a new event, but the people of Des Moines turned out in droves – the event was consistently busy all three days of the show.

So many little touches made for a really great show – the live music kept both customers and vendors in good spirits, even through cold and rainy weather. The food and hot beverages were huge draws to bring in more people along with great local products and holiday atmosphere. 

It was a great time to see people just enjoy the start to the holidays, enjoy time with each other and say cheers to just being here in Des Moines. 

Overall it was a great event that we hope to participate in for years to come!

Tammy & Adam, The Red Door Press

We are very pleased with the Christkindlmarket. It was very well organized and everyone one was very helpful.  They contacted us often to see if we had any needs and fill our requests. I was very happy with the attendance and it ws a very positive atmosphere.  Looking forward to next year.

Greg Lincoln, Top of the Hill Nuts

Worldly Goods loved being part of the inaugural Christkindlemarket!  The volunteers were fun and professional to work with and did their best to accommodate all situations that came up this first year.  We look forward to the future; seeing old friends and meeting new ones as the market continues to grow and expand!

Worldly Goods

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of the first annual Christkindlmarket in Des Moines. The volunteers and staff did a wonderful job of organizing this Christmas Market, and took great care of the vendors. This was a fun, family-friendly event that had something to offer everyone. We look forward to being a part of this cultural experience next year.

Kathleen Gill, Royal Mile

Tell us about your business

Now in its sixth year, Dakota Tinworks is a family-owned business, specializing in traditional, handmade tinware and tin decorative items. Karl, the tinsmith in the family, uses mostly 19th century tinsmith’s tools in the creation of his tin goods. He trained as a historical tinsmith with Loren Miller at the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island, Nebraska, and with master tinsmith William McMillen at Historic Eastfield Village in New York. He’s also taken an advanced tinsmithing workshop co-taught by Steve Delisle, head tinsmith at Colonial Williamsburg.

The work he produces is split between decorative tin items, like Christmas ornaments and tree tinsel/icicles, and authentic reproduction tinware, like pierced tin lanterns and other museum-quality tinware.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2021?

We were invited to participate in CDM 2017, 2018, and 2019, as well as CDM Curbside in 2020. We’ve enjoyed being part of the Christkindlmarket Des Moines family of vendors and look forward to being at the event every year. People seem to really like the tin goods we produce and sell. We enjoy meeting everyone who stops by our pop-up tents. We’re looking forward to this year’s Christkindlmarket Des Moines!

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2021 and why did you choose them?

Our tin ornaments and tree tinsel remain very popular, so we will, of course, have plenty of those on hand. We also plan to offer pierced tin candle shades, with traditional designs, cookie cutters, and pierced tin lanterns. We’ll have a full range of other tin items for sale, but we’re also planning on adding a variety of similar items made in copper, too, including ornaments and tinsel/icicles. Another new item will be colored tinsel.

Anything else you’d like to share?

We’re excited to be a part of this wonderful event once again. I hope people look for our red and white striped twin pop-up tents and come by to see a demonstration and check out our range of products!