Category Archive Vendors

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!

Tell us about your business

Quilted Gardens Nursery is an independent specialty nursery located south of Indianola, IA. Not only do we carry unique unusual plants and trees, we are also a Christmas tree farm, known for fresh on-site made wreaths and greens and trees. At Christmas time we specialize in glass and Fair-trade ornaments, leather door bells and straps and unique gifts not just for the gardener but everyone on your list.

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

The unique aspect of the European Christmas Market inspired us to want to be a part of it.

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

We provide fresh made wreaths and bundles of mixed greens grown on our farm, Iowa-made leather sleigh bells and hanging door bells, fine blown glass bird and other ornaments (over 20 different bird ornaments) and Fair-trade Peruvian gourd ornaments.

Anything else you’d like to share?

We really enjoy the festival atmosphere of Christkindlmarket Des Moines. It makes Winter a really awesome time of year.

Tell us about your business

TeaGschwendner is a world leader in high quality loose leaf teas, based on EU standards, and US location owned and operated by local tea sommelier.

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

We love the Christmas season, and our Christmas collection reflects the family holiday tradition of Christkindlmarkets

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

Of course the Christmas collection along with the most wanted Tea Advent Calendar

Anything else you’d like to share?

Only .002 % of worldwide tea supply is good enough to be included in our collection

Tell us about your business:

We have been in business since 2015, but have only started Kringle and Danish baking since 2018.  I am a retired school teacher that was looking to fill some time and it has turned into a full time business with the unique Danish Baking products that I have been marketing.  I enjoy the time in the bakery, but really I do this to meet new people and attend shows such as Christkindlemarket Des Moines.  We have attended shows in 6 different states with 2 more new states this year on our schedule.  The recipes are a combination of Danish Grandmothers sharing with me and searching old cook books and the internet to create the product that I market. 

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

We were involved with Christkindlmarket Des Moines in 2019 and it exceeded our wildest expectations.  Des Moines has always been a strong market for us, but this was amazing.  The atmosphere and the different European cultures represented allowed for a great time by all participants, vendor’s and attendees.  It was as the Dane’s say a Hygge time: (pronounced hoo·guh). Hygge is about preserving happiness everyday. It is about slowing down, being humble, expressing gratitude, feeling safe and connecting with loved ones. Who wouldn’t want to spend a weekend with friends at Christkindlmarket Des Moines?

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

My newest creation is the Danish Pastry made with the puff pastry dough for that light and flaky experience while enjoying a generous serving of fruit sprinkled with baker’s sugar and drizzled with a sweet white and glossy icing.

Hot out of the oven the Danish Letter.  A generous serving of Almond Paste wrapped in the puff pastry dough, topped with baker’s sugar and baked to perfection.  A perfect companion to a great cup of coffee. 

Ready for packaging.  The Cream Horn is filled with my own creation of sweetness to drive any connoisseur of the puff pastry covered in baker’s sugar and baked to a golden color crazy.

The Apple Kringle shows all the lite and flaky layers of goodness surrounded by air pockets of joy.  The generous serving of Almond Paste blended with the fruit and covered with Almond Slivers and baker’s sugar is a treat anytime of the day.

The Kringle comes in two different sizes: Family size of 5 inches by 15 inches or the couple size of 3 3/4 inches by 10 inches. Don’t be afraid to get the bigger size as all my products freeze amazingly so you can enjoy some now and some later with coffee and family or friends.

We also have a topping of cream cheese icing that is out of this world good.

Tell us about your business:

DamonLayne Woodworking is an Iowa business located in Earlham. For the past 8 years, I have spent my free time working from a renovated Madison County, one-room schoolhouse to create beautifully designed items for your home. My woodworking products include cutting boards, cheese slicers, and amazing cribbage boards.

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

I am excited to be a part of Christkindlmarket Des Moines because it displays the unique European holiday traditions and one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts. Talented artisans will be displaying their creations while families stroll along, listening to music, sampling the food, and sipping warm mulled wine. This is an amazing holiday event to have in Des Moines.

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

My products for this year’s Christkindlmarket Des Moines include charcuterie boards, cribbage boards, cutting boards, and cheese slicers. These handmade items make a wonderful addition to any holiday baskets.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I am happy to be a part of this magnificent event for a third year. The little vendor huts, the amazing people, the wonderful smell of food, and the lively polka music are sure to make this event a holiday tradition for every family.

Tell us about your business

Founded in 2002, Ruhland’s Strudel Haus is a maker of fabulous sweet and savory strudel. We are inspired by the belief that food is one of life’s celebrations and is integrated into our relationship with the Earth and one another. Our mission is to provide a unique experience of common union. Our hope is that what we make will gather people around the table to celebrate the love and community found in family and friends. Our goal is to create food that brings joy and delight.

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

We found out about this event a few years back and thought we would fit well into Christkindlmarket Des Moines as we have participated in a similar event in Excelsior, MN for the past 18 years. We were accepted into CDM in 2018 and 2019 and we were thrilled by the reaction of the public to our product and service. Love this event.

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

We will be serving our spinach feta artichoke strudel as well as our reuben strudel for savory offerings. Also, we will be preparing our Rindergulash hoagies. Our sweet strudels will include apple and strawberry rhubarb as they are our most popular strudels.