Iowa European Cultural Connection (IECC) 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 opportunities to choose from whether you’re looking for just yourself or a group team building experience. Be sure to include family members, friends and others who could join you to make it more fun!
NON-PROFITS: If your non-profit signs up to fill a shift (volunteers need not be directly associated with your non-profit) to serve Glühwein, beer or brats, you may put out your own “tip” jar for cash donations during that shift. Please email [email protected] with proof of tax-exempt status and the location/date/time of your shift.
After your shift, turn in your credential at the Volunteer Tent for: a ticket worth 5% off your purchase in “An der Weihnachtsecke”, a ticket for one free brat or one free drink ticket.
All volunteers must be at least 16 years old when they report for their volunteer shift. Those working with alcohol must be at least 18 years old when they report for their volunteer shift.
1. Beer Pourers: **Great for groups/team building** Work with the Iowa Beer Bus team to serve beer to attendees. These volunteers will work with the Iowa Beer Bus team to serve beer to attendees. You will need to complete online I-PACT (Iowa – Program for Alcohol Compliance) Training. After successfully passing the final test, you will receive a printable certificate of completion. The test takes 45 – 60 minutes to complete and can be completed online at https://abd.iowa.gov/education/i-pact as well. Please present a hard copy or digital copy of your certificate when you check in to begin your shift.
2. Bratwurst Imbiss am Markt (Food preparation): **Great for groups/team building** From a canopy tent adjacent to the festival venue, grill and package brats and hot dogs to be sold at a wooden vendor hut on the venue.
3. Bratwurst Imbiss am Markt (Sales): **Great for groups/team building** From a wooden vendor hut, sell prepared brats and hot dogs to market patrons.
4. CDM HOST: Join us before the festival opens to wipe down tables, tidy the venue and ensure our sales areas are ready for the day.
5. CDM PR: From the festival entrance, welcome patrons and hand out sitemaps.
6. CDM Setup: **Great for groups/team building** If you’ve ever wanted to see how a festival 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**
7. CDM Social Media Support: Be on hand during setup and/or the festival to capture the live, festive spirit of our cultural experience and share to Facebook and Instagram. One meeting with the Festival Director ahead of time for a brief coaching session.
8. CDM Tear Down: **Great for groups/team building** As the market winds to a close on Sunday evening, we’ll have three short hours to make the magic of Christkindlmarket Des Moines disappear. **Some lifting may be required**
9. Glühwein & Kinderpunsch Sales: **Great for groups/team building** There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit than to serve warm, mulled wine to eager attendees. This holiday tradition is a Christkindlmarket staple. You will need to complete online 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 2 years. The test takes 45 – 60 minutes to complete and can be completed online at https://abd.iowa.gov/education/i-pact as well. Please present a hard copy or digital copy of your certificate when you check in to begin your shift.
10. Hobby Photographer: Do you enjoy taking pictures? Help us capture the spirit of Christkindlmarket Des Moines from behind your camera.
11. Information Tent: Do you enjoy interacting with people? Why not volunteer at the IECC information tent? From a 4-sided tent, answer patron’s questions, provide festival maps, share European tourism information and provide information about Iowa European Cultural Connection. You’ll also be provided resources for FAQs along with the cell phone number you can call if you receive a difficult-to-answer question.
12. KinderKorner: Help lead free games and activities for children of all ages in our covered activity area.
13. Non-Profit Tree Setup: Place live, 6-foot fir trees in tree stands and positioning them in outdoor tent.
14. Non-Profit Tree Tear Down: Remove delicate ornaments from non-profit trees before shrink wrapping and help silent auction winners transport these items and possibly the tree to their vehicles.
15. Parking Attendant: Manage free parking lot for vendors, volunteers, performers and Principal Park employees
16. CDM Store Sales Associate – Merchandising: For our store, help ensure that product is displayed properly and answer customer questions.
17. CDM Store Sales Associate – Point of Sale: For our store, operate a point-of-sale system on an iPad, take cash, and interact with customers.
18. Vendor Stall Setup: **Great for groups/team building** Christmas markets wouldn’t be the same without traditional, wooden vendor stalls! As a volunteer on the vendor stall set up team, you will construct these prefabricated stalls for our vendors. **Heavy lifting definitely required**
19. Vendor Stall Tear Down: **Great for groups/team building** Deconstruct prefabricated wooden vendor stalls. You will be led by an experienced site leader. **Heavy lifting definitely required**
20. Volunteer Relations: Greet and check-in volunteers, direct volunteers to assigned areas, and keep Volunteer Headquarters organized.
21. Yuletide Hall (heated entertainment tent): One of the features of Christkindlmarket Des Moines is our heated entertainment tent. If you’re interested in music, performances and artistry, this is the place for you. As a Yuletide Hall volunteer, you will assist the site leaders to ensure that performers have arrived, are prepared to take the stage and have what they need to perform while maintaining a neat and tidy venue.
22. Yuletide Hall Setup: **Great for groups/team building** Work inside a tent, outside of the elements, set up tables and chairs and install lights and garland.
23. Yuletide Hall Tear Down: **Great for groups/team building** Work inside a tent, outside of the elements, tear down and stack tables and chairs and remove lights and garland.
Meet The Team
Beth Grabau
Kelsey Chaves White
Samantha Ahn
Kaitlyn Wheelock
Claire Yocom
Sable Joseph
Kayla Garvin
Marissa Johnson
Tammera Pierson
Margaret Townsend
Mackenzie Dierks
Abby Kessler
Tasha Jackson
Missy Mootz
Dave Cox
Suzanne Hull
Our Sponsors
Many thanks to our sponsors for their support of Christkindlmarket Des Moines. Be sure to visit their websites to learn more.
