Outdoor Cultural Stage

Thank you for your interest in providing a program on the Outdoor Cultural Stage at CDM taking place at Principal Park in downtown Des Moines from Dec 4 – 7 & 11 – 14, 2025.

The schedule for the Outdoor Cultural Stage is Dec 11: 5-9pm, Dec 12 & 13: 11am-9pm, Dec 14: 11am – 5pm. The Outdoor Cultural Stage will be inside a four-sided tent at Principal Park. The stage will be lighted with amplified sound. The size of the stage will likely be 8’x8’x18”.

The quality of a traditional Christmas market depends on maintaining a high standard of programming. IECC is dedicated to immersing visitors in a world of folklore and craftsmanship as well as enticing them with traditional, seasonal culinary specialties to provide an experience filled with European elegance and charm.

The Outdoor Cultural Stage will provide an outlet for Iowa-based European Cultural Heritage Organization (501c3) Members and other organizations to present 15- to 25-minute-long programs that connect our festival attendees with European cultural heritage and traditions. Programs may include oral traditions (folk/traditional storytelling), folk/traditional crafts and visual arts and folk/traditional music.

Providing a program on the Outdoor Cultural Stage is a great way to educate our community and to create awareness of your organization in order to drive membership and engagement.

CDM OUTDOOR CULTURAL STAGE APPLICATION PROCESS. Organizations who wish to provide a program on the Outdoor Cultural Stage must submit an online Outdoor Cultural Stage Application along with the required application materials within the following timeline:

• March 1, 2025: IECC will publish the CDM Outdoor Cultural Stage Application and Outdoor Cultural Stage Guide on the CDM website at http://www.christkindlmarketdsm.com.
• May 1, 2025 at midnight: Deadline for Organizations to submit the online Outdoor Cultural Stage Application which includes Certificate of Insurance/Waiver of Liability.
• May 15, 2025: IECC notifies Organizations on status of Outdoor Cultural Stage Application (i.e., accepted, waitlisted, or denied) and sends Organizations who have been accepted to participate in the Festival the Christkindlmarket Des Moines Outdoor Cultural Stage Agreement (“Agreement”).
• June 15, 2025: Deadline for accepted Organizations accepted to sign and return the Agreement. After this date, IECC may terminate the Agreement for Organizations who fail to remit the required information.