Christmas trees up lined for bid for this year's Christkindlmarket, supporting various nonprofit groups.
(Des Moines, IA) -- A European-themed Christmas festival has returned to Des Moines, this time, at a new location. Suzanne Hull, director of Christkindlmarket, says it's based off of ancient German and Austrian traditions.
"Christkindlmarket started in Germany and Austria about 750 years ago. It was basically and extension of the weekly markets that villages had," Hull said, "so they decided to, instead of close up in the cold winter months, to extend their weekly market days throughout the four weekends of Advent leading up to Christmas."
Vendors from areas in Iowa and around the Midwest are in attendance. This year's festival features a larger beer hall, and is stationed in the north parking lot of Principal Park, further north than last year's location. Hull says there is a lot of great German beer, food, along with musical acts including "Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen" on Saturday night.
Hours are 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday), with an extended "after hours" social hour in the Yuletide Hall from 9-10 p.m.
Sunday's hours are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.