Category Archive Vendors

Tell us about your business

At DamonLayne Woodworking, we believe that your home should reflect your own personal style. Each corner of your life should be eye-catching and unique, just like you. DamonLayne Woodworking provides kitchen and home decor, dedicated to helping our customers discover their own design personality.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at CDM Curbside?

We have been involved with Christkindlmarket Des Moines for the past few years. This is an amazing holiday event that showcases the European culture. This year’s online event allows customers to shop from home and pick up all their packages from one location.

What products will you be selling at CDM Curbside and why did you choose them?

Cutting board, Charcuterie boards, Cheese slicer, Cribbage boards, Springerle cookie molds.

Anything else you’d like to share?

DamonLayne Woodworking designs unique products that are fun and functional and will make a great gift for the holiday season, a wedding, or a house warming gift.

1. Tell us about your business

Dakota Tinworks is a family-run business, specializing in handmade reproduction tinware items as well as original designs focusing on Christmas tree decorations, including a wide variety of tin ornaments and tree tinsel/icicles. All of our items are made personally by Karl Schmidt, the owner of Dakota Tinworks.

2. What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at CDM Curbside?

We’ve been vendors at Christkindlmarket Des Moines since 2017, the second year of the market. It’s always been a fabulous experience for us. This year, with concerns over COVID-19, the market cannot take place as it normally would, but we are excited for the opportunity to participate in CDM Curbside.

3. What products will you be selling at CDM Curbside and why did you choose them?

We’ll be offering most of our tin products this year, including all of the ornaments and tinsel, cups, candle holders, pierced candle shades, biscuit and cookie cutters, and more.

4. Anything else you’d like to share?

As with any new venture, CDM Curbside will be an experiment, but we are ready to provide the same great products our loyal customers have always expected from us!

Des Moines European Heritage Association invites you to become a vendor at the 5th Annual Christkindlmarket Des Moines taking place December 3 – 6, 2020 at Principal Park.

In the past four years, this cultural experience has attracted over 145,000 visitors. (50,000 in 2019!)

The quality of a traditional Christmas market depends on maintaining a high standard of the vendor products it offers. Christkindlmarket Des Moines is dedicated to immersing visitors in a world of folklore and craftsmanship as well as enticing them with traditional, seasonal gastronomic specialties to provide an experience filled with European elegance and charm. See Google Images of Christmas markets around the world.

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 April 1, 2020 at the latest.

If you have applied in the past, but were not accepted, we encourage you to complete an application each year. The vendor committee takes several factors into consideration when choosing the slate of vendors each year. We will continue to add wooden vendor stalls and not all vendors that participated in the past are asked to return which results in openings.

Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2020 Vendor Information Guide

Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2020 Vendor Application

Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2020 Electricity Request Form

City of Des Moines Outdoor Events Requirements (Food vendors please read)

Products typically found at Christkindlmarkets throughout the world, which include (but are not limited to): decorative fresh wreaths and centerpieces; one-of-a-kind handmade items that can be made and demonstrated on site; holiday ornaments of all colors, materials and sizes; nutcrackers; cuckoo clocks; beer steins; wooden toys; jewelry; wood carvings; 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 items; tea light holders; Eastern Slavic handcrafted gifts, such as nesting dolls and papier-mâché lacquer boxes; lace; leather products; beer and wine glasses; wooden toys; 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

Hello from Pickle Creek! We are a small family farm in Pleasant Plain, Iowa. We grow herbs, fruits, garlic, and peppers that we use to create infused olive oils and vinegars, soaps, salves, and balms. We make everything by hand in small batches using our own original recipes. With Pickle Creek infusions, you can bring all the life, spice, and flavor of the summer garden to your kitchen and home.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2019

It’s an awesome and unique experience! We first heard about Christkindlmarket from friends, and it jumped out as something special—we hadn’t seen anything quite like it in Iowa. That was back in 2016, and we’ve been participating ever since. The visitors, volunteers, and other vendors are so cheerful, festive, and fun!

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2019 and why did you choose them?

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

Anything else you’d like to share?

Christkindlmarket 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 the cheer in the air evokes the Christmas magic you loved as a child. It will definitely put you in the holiday spirit!

Tell us about your business

Ruhland’s Strudel Haus has been in business since 2002. What began in a concession trailer has evolved into a frozen, take-and-bake business that serves the Twin City market through farmer’s markets, fundraisers and a variety of community events. We make over 47 varieties of strudel, both sweet and savory.

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 in 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 2019?

We have participated the Christkindlsmarket in Excelsior, MN for the last 15 years. When we discovered Christkindlmarket Des Moines, we thought we’d be a good fit. We loved being there in 2018 and look forward to 2019.

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2019 and why did you choose them?

We will be offering the same menu as last year. Reuben Strudel, Spinach, Feta and Artichoke Heart Strudel, Apple Strudel, Strawberry Rhubarb Strudel and handmade pretzels with beer cheese sauce. Additionally, we will be offering a new product as well, Rindergulash on a Hoagie roll with sour cream and spicy sweet pickles.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Love your event!

Tell us about your business:

DamonLayne Woodworking is an Iowa business located in Earlham. For the past 6 years, I have spent my free time working from a renovated Madison County, one-room school house 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 2019?

I am excited to be a part of Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2019 because it displays the unique European holiday traditions. 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 event to have in Des Moines.

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2019 and why did you choose them?

My products for this year’s Christkindlmarket Des Moines include cribbage boards, cutting boards, and cheese slicers. These handmade items make wonderful gifts to include in your holiday baskets.

Anything else you’d like to share?

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