Christkindlmarket Des Moines

2026 Christkindlmarket Des Moines


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! NEW FOR 2026: ***Volunteer Together: Adult + Middle Schooler Combo Teams welcome in select areas!

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.

Thank you for volunteering with us! Enjoy one of the following after your shift:
  • 5% off your purchase in “An der Weihnachtsecke” (At the Christmas Corner)
  • one free drink from CDM managed locations
  • one free brat from the "Bratwurst Imbiß am Markt" (first weekend only)



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**

CDM Tear Down: **Great for groups/team building** As the market winds to a close, we'll have three short hours to make the magic of Christkindlmarket Des Moines disappear. **Some lifting may be required**

Vendor Stall Setup: 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** Supply list – if you have these items, it would be helpful during this process: drill, extra drill batteries, charger for the drill, T25 and T30 star bits, ladders, measuring tape.

Vendor Stall Tear Down: Deconstruct prefabricated wooden vendor stalls. You will be led by an experienced site leader. **Heavy lifting definitely required** Supply list – if you have these items, it would be helpful during this process: drill, extra drill batteries, charger for the drill, T25 and T30 star bits, ladders, measuring tape.

Glühwein, Kinderpunsch, Hot Cocoa Sales (Beverage Tent - Outdoors): **Great for groups/team building** There's no better way to get into the holiday spirit than by serving warm, mulled wine/cider and hot cocoa to eager patrons. This holiday tradition is a staple of Christkindlmarket Des Moines. 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. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made.

Glühwein, Kinderpunsch, Hot Cocoa Sales (Yuletide Hall (heated tent)): **Great for groups/team building** There's no better way to get into the holiday spirit than by serving warm, mulled wine/cider and hot cocoa to eager patrons. This holiday tradition is a staple of Christkindlmarket Des Moines. 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. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made.

Glühwein, Kinderpunsch, Hot Cocoa AND Beer Sales (Biergarten (heated tent)): **Great for groups/team building** There's no better way to get into the holiday spirit than by serving warm, mulled wine/cider, hot cocoa AND festive beer to eager patrons. This holiday tradition is a staple of Christkindlmarket Des Moines. 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 printed or digital copy of your certificate when you check in to begin your shift. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made.

Beer Pourers (Yuletide Hall (heated tent)):  **Great for groups/team building** You will work with our CDM Leadership team to serve beer to patrons from our heated entertainment tent. 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 printed or digital copy of your certificate when you check in at the Volunteer Tent to begin your shift. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made.

Yuletide Hall Setup (heated tent): **Great for groups/team building** Work inside a tent, outside of the elements, set up tables and chairs and install lights and garland. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made.

CDM Store Sales Associate (heated tent): In “An der Weihnachtsecke” (Christkindlmarket Des Moines store), we sell European foods/candy, beer steins/glassware, commemorative mugs, glass ornaments and merchandise from a large tent. Tasks may include: Helping ensure that product is displayed properly, operating a point-of-sale system on an iPad, takeing cash and interacting with customers. Those volunteering Dec 3, 2026, 10am – 12:30pm will be mostly setting up tables and display racks. Those volunteering Dec 3, 2025, 12:30pm – 4:30pm will handle the initial setup of the store. This may require moving light shelving and/or boxes and will involve merchandising. If you like to organize/rearrange things and/or have experience in a retail environment, this might be the shift for you! If you're not comfortable handling money - no biggie! - just let us know when you arrive for your shift. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made.

CDM Bratwurst Imbiß am Markt (Sales):  From a wooden vendor hut, sell prepared brats to market patrons via an electronic point of sale. Also includes managing the condiment station, general clean-up of the space and the removal of trash and debris to appropriate areas. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made.

CDM Bratwurst Imbiß am Markt (Food preparation): From a canopy tent adjacent to the festival venue, grill and package brats to be sold at a wooden vendor hut. Also includes general clean-up of the space, unboxing product and the removal of trash and debris to appropriate areas. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made.

Yuletide Hall (heated 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 CDM Leadership 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. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made.

Volunteer Relations: You will be the initial contact for incoming volunteers at our Prost & Pause Stube presented by Bank Iowa (Vendor & Volunteer Lounge). From this heated office trailer, you'll help greet and check-in volunteers, direct them to assigned areas and keep the Stube organized and well-stocked with refreshments. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made. ***Volunteer Together: Adult + Middle Schooler Combo Teams Welcome!

Information Table: Do you enjoy interacting with people? Why not volunteer at the Information Table! From our Kinderkorner Tent, answer patron’s questions, provide festival maps, share European tourism infor and provide info about the Iowa European Cultural Connection. You'll be provided with resources for FAQs along with a cell phone number you can call if you receive a difficult-to-answer questions. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made. ***Volunteer Together: Adult + Middle Schooler Combo Teams Welcome!

Non-Profit Tree Setup: Support our non-profit silent auction by placing live, 6-foot fir trees in tree stands and positioning them in an outdoor tent.

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. ***Volunteer Together: Adult + Middle Schooler Combo Teams Welcome!

KinderKorner: Help lead free games and activities for children of all ages in our covered activity area. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made. ***Volunteer Together: Adult + Middle Schooler Combo Teams Welcome!

Host: Join us before the Festival opens and during the Festival to wipe down tables, tidy the venue and ensure our Festival grounds are looking their best. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made. ***Volunteer Together: Adult + Middle Schooler Combo Teams Welcome!

Hobby Photographer: Do you enjoy taking pictures? Help us capture the spirit of Christkindlmarket Des Moines from behind your camera. ***Volunteer Together: Adult + Middle Schooler Combo Teams Welcome! 

Public Relations: From the festival entrance, welcome patrons and hand out maps. You may be asked to assist in other volunteer areas. Please be willing to work with us on any onsite changes that need to be made. ***Volunteer Together: Adult + Middle Schooler Combo Teams Welcome! 

Cultural Tent: Help activate this new cultural area by hosting a Hammerschlagen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammerschlagen) activity enjoyed by patrons.
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Waiver for 2026 Christkindlmarket Des Moines

I acknowledge that this activity carries with it the potential for serious injury, property loss and death. The risks include, but are not limited to, those caused by terrain, facilities, temperature, weather, condition of the volunteers, equipment, vehicular traffic, actions of other people including, but not limited to, event attendees, volunteers, and/or producers of the event. I hereby assume all of the risks of participating and/or volunteering in this event. I realize that liability may arise from negligence or carelessness on the part of the persons or entities being released, from dangerous or defective equipment or property owned, maintained or controlled by them or because of their possible liability without fault.

I certify that I am physically fit and have not been advised otherwise by a qualified medical person.

I acknowledge that this Accident Waiver and Release of Liability form will be used by the event organizers, in which I may participate and that it will govern my actions and responsibilities at said event.

In consideration of my application and permitting me to volunteer at this event, I hereby take action for myself, my executors, administrators, heirs, next of kin, successors, and assigns as follows: (A) Waive, Release and Discharge from any and all liability for my death, disability, personal injury, property damage, property theft or actions of any kind which may hereafter accrue to me including my traveling to and from this event, THE FOLLOWING ENTITIES OR PERSONS:

Their directors, officers, employees, volunteers, representatives, and agents, the event holders, event sponsors, event volunteers; (B) Indemnify and Hold Harmless the entities or persons mentioned in this paragraph from any and all liabilities or claims made as a result of participation in this event, whether cause by the negligence of releases or otherwise.

I hereby consent to receive medical treatment that may be deemed advisable in the event of injury, accident, and/or illness during this event.

I understand that at this event or related activities, I may be photographed. I agree to allow my photo, video or film, likeness to be used for any legitimate purpose by the event holders, producers, sponsors, organizers and assigns.

The Accident Waiver and Release of Liability shall be construed broadly to provide a release and waiver to the maximum extent permissible under applicable law.

I hereby certify that I have read this document; and, I understand its content.