Category Archive Vendors

BySuzanne Hull

2024 Call For Vendors

Iowa European Cultural Connection invites you to become a vendor at the 9th Annual Christkindlmarket Des Moines taking place December 5 – 8, 2024 at Principal Park.

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 culinary specialties to provide a family-friendly experience filled with European elegance and charm.

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.

2024 Vendor Guide

2024 Vendor Application

2024 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

As a nonprofit, Christkindlmarket Des Moines is an essential event for our business year after year. We enjoy working their seasoned team of administrators in putting on an authentic, enjoyable market that has continued to grow and grow beyond our expectations. We enjoy being a part of this wonderful festival and look forward to the next one every year.

Danish Windmill


We have been involved with Christkindlmarket Des Moines since 2019 and it has exceeded our wildest expectations. Iowa has always been a strong market for us, but this was amazing. It was as the Dane’s say a Hygge time: (pronounced hoo·guh) (Hygge is about preserving happiness everyday. It is slowing down, being humble, expressing gratitude, feeling safe and connecting with loved ones.) Who wouldn’t want to spend a day with friends and Family at Christkindlmarket Des Moines. The organization of the event is well planned and the volunteers are helpful. The entertainment gets your toes tapping and the variety of vendors gives everyone an opportunity to find something unique.

The Kringle Man


Christkindlmarket Des Moines is by far my favorite market to vend at. It is a continuous celebration with live music, parades and Gluehwein. So it is a destination instead of just a market. The attendance and sales are phenomenal.

Pam Hyde Pottery


Our experience from start to finish was exceptional. As a first time vendor we were nervous but, all the information and mentoring provided by Christkindlmarket Des Moines prepared us for success. We highly recommend this event for vendors and attendees.

Rusty Stars Alpacas


Wild Cherry Spoon Co has vended across the Midwest. From popular indie craft markets in Chicago to small first time shows. Christkindlmarket 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


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


BySuzanne Hull

Sugarplums | #CDM2023 Vendor

Tell us about your business

We sell cakes and cupcakes year round.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023?

We have been participating in the Christkindlmarket Des Moines since its second year.

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023 and why did you choose them?

We specialize in German Gingerbreads and cookies for Christkindlmarket Des Moines. Our best sellers are Lebkuchen and Pfeffernuss. Lebkuchen is the gingerbread that we start making about a month before the market so it has time to soften and for the flavors to meld.

Anything else you’d like to share?

This is our favorite event every year and we’re looking forward to it!

BySuzanne Hull

Good Moon Pottery | #CDM2023 Vendor

Tell us about your business

My moto is “unique pottery to make your every day rituals special”. My pots are intended to be used every day, and should bring a smile to your face every time you use them. I think choosing a handmade mug for your coffee or a sweet little ceramic tumbler can bring a little charm to regular activities. I love infusing humor into my work, often playing on favorite phrases like “Good Vibes Only” paired with a skull and crossbones, or two loooooong wiener dogs kissing across the length of a mug body.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023?

I’ve loved the Christkindlemarket for years and last year was the first time I had the courage to apply as a vendor. It was an amazing experience — and not just the freezing wind! People are friendly, the vibe is so festive, the food is incredible, and who doesn’t want to listen to polka all day?!

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023 and why did you choose them?

Unique pottery including mugs, dishes, and special items like Christmas Ornaments! Tons of gift options for folks that appreciate beautiful but accessible handmade ceramics that are completely unique. None of my pieces are exactly the same, and that is something I cherish.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Stop by my hut to try the Good Moon Pottery Machine!! Our vending machine dispenses something better than candy… for the price of a token you can get a special tiny pot!

BySuzanne Hull

German Taste | #CDM2023 Vendor

Tell us about your business

We are 3 veterans, who love to cook.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023?

We were invited to CDM 2022 and had so much fun. Many of our customers are already familiar with our menu and were excited we came to CDM.

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023 and why did you choose them?

Curry Brats are a tradition in Germany at every Christmas Market, and it is our best seller. You can enjoy our Curry Brats and Bratwurst with a bunor Käse Spätzle (German Mac & Cheese). We use an original German Bratwurst. You can get one with sauerkraut or as a tasty Brat Reuben sandwich.

Anything else you’d like to share?

As a German Chef, I know that the number one German street food is ” the Currywurst”. In Germany alone, 800,000,000 are served annually. Come try ours during the market!

BySuzanne Hull

Peverill’s Apiary | #CDM2023 Vendor

Tell us about your business

We are a family owned and run business established in 2016. What started out with 2 beehives in our backyard has turned into over 100 beehives through the city of Ankeny. We are considered 100% urban beekeepers with urban beehives. We offer local raw honey as well as beeswax candles, lip balms, paw palms, and lotion bars. Our candles are 100% beeswax and are individually hand-poured by us.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023?

We had seen the event advertised for quite a few years and someone involved with the market reached out to us advising we would be a great vendor to be in the market.

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023 and why did you choose them?

We will have beeswax candles and ornaments, honey and candle gift sets, and honey products. Typically, within Christkindlmarkts, handmade and local items are the main draw as well as mulled wine. Our products are all locally handmade by us. We will have nutcracker candles as well as Nativity candles and Advent Candle sets which are all traditionally found in German Christmas Markets.

Anything else you’d like to share?

When we say we are completely family owned and run, this includes our three children aged 16, 13, and 9. They have been a part of every single step along the way in some form. From pulling honey, to making creamed honey and honey lemonade, to being a “sales person” every Saturday at the Downtown DSM Farmer’s Market, they have grown right along with the Apiary.

BySuzanne Hull

Freedom Blend Coffee | #CDM2023 Vendor

Tell us about your business

It is well known that coffee has the power to free a person from the chains of grogginess, but this heavenly brew is even stronger than that. Enter Freedom Blend Coffee Trailer, the mobile café that not only serves Des Moines delicious, fair-trade, house-roasted coffee but also promotes empowering young adults with work training and life skills, a key part of their Freedom for Youth Ministries.

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023?

We have heard great things about Christkindlmarket and are so excited to be a part of it this year!

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023 and why did you choose them?

You’re in for a cozy cup of joy! From our espresso-based Cafè Miel with steamed milk, honey, and cinnamon, to our London Fog tea, Early Grey with steamed milk, we serve coffee, tea, and more.

BySuzanne Hull

Dakota Tinworks | #CDM2023 Vendor

Tell us about your business

Founded in 2015, 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 the late master tinsmith William McMillen at Historic Eastfield Village in New York. He’s also taken an advanced tinsmithing workshop co-taught at Historic Eastfield Village 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.
As an aside, Karl also teaches traditional tinsmithing, most recently at the Museum of Making in Derby, England, in September 2022.

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 and CDM 2022, so we’ve been a part of CDM almost since the beginning. We’ve enjoyed being part of the Christkindlmarket 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. It’s our most exciting event of the year!

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023 and why did you choose them?

As always, 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, and pierced tin lanterns in two distinct styles. New this year will be some very special reproduction German cookie cutters, based on antique ones from the Erzgebirge region of Germany, along the Czech border. In addition to being a tin-mining region historically, the Erzgebirge are also known for their Christmas festivals. Another new item will be tin frames with Christmas scenes, featuring reproduction vintage images of German Santas and other Christmas-related themes. In addition to the new items, we’ll also have a full range of other tin items for sale, and several different ornaments made with copper, and sheet brass (also new this year). The colored tinsel we introduced at CDM 2021 (and sold again at CDM 2022) was extremely popular, so we’ll be sure to bring plenty more of that for CDM 2023.

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. We 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! Our tent layout will be a bit different this year, as we are planning on modeling a tent layout we discovered at the Lucrezia-Markt in Regensburg, Bavaria. It’ll allow us to do better displays and make it easier for people to shop for our items.

BySuzanne Hull

Cajun Belle | #CDM2023 Vendor

Tell us about your business

Cajun Belle is a Southeast Texas-cuisine restaurant in the Des Moines, Iowa, metro area. We were founded in 2022 and offer a unique menu available through drive-thru at our storefront location in Johnston, Iowa, as well as catering and on-site event menu options. We provide authentic, fresh, Southeast Texas cuisine to the Central Iowa Metro and surrounding areas. Owner and head-chef Zack Hollier has been cooking this cuisine literally his entire life, he likes to call the Cajun Belle gumbo his ‘childhood in a pot’.


Cajun Belle is also more than just food, we strive to deliver the highest-quality of menu items by making all of the food items on-site daily and from scratch. The dough for the kolaches is literally hand-mixed by team members! We are committed to providing the most authentic and quality food in a convenient way to the bellies of those who seek it. COME ON & EAT Y’ALL!!

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023?

One of my employees recommended the event to me and after looking over it, it seemed like a no-brainier. The reviews from the former vendors is what ultimately made the decision to participate for us.

What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023 and why did you choose them?

We are happy to provide the most delicious File Gumbo, Jambalaya and Bacon egg & cheese Kolache!

Anything else you’d like to share?

Folks can look for the happy brown fella in the cowboy hat for a meal and a smile!

BySuzanne Hull

The Kringle Man | #CDM2023 Vendor

Tell us about your business:

Located in Elk Horn,Iowa we have been in business since 2015, but have only started Kringle and Danish baking since 2018. I am a retired schoolteacher 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 we do this to meet new people and attend events such as the Christkindlmarket Des Moines. We do around 70 events a year, with our traveling show, and have attended shows in 8 different states. The recipes are a combination of Danish Grandmothers sharing with me and searching old cookbooks and the internet to create the product that I market. 

What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023?

We have been involved with Christkindlmarket Des Moines in 2019 and it exceeded our wildest expectations.  Iowa has always been a strong market for us, but this was amazing.  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 2023 and why did you choose them?

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.