2025 Christkindl Market vendor application

Please review the following information and continue to the form.

Christkindl Market information

Kitchener City Hall - 1st floor, 2nd floor, Carl Zehr Square and King St.

• December  4 - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Thursday)
• December  5 - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Friday)
• December  6 - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Saturday)
• December  7 - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Sunday)

Christkindl Market is part of a tradition in Germany that dates back to the middle ages when farmers, tradesmen and artisans would meet around their churches with song, food and small gifts. Be part of this tradition today, and apply for a spot at Kitchener’s Christkindl Market!
The Christkindl Market has expanded our offerings through the introduction of increased outdoor activities in the downtown on King Street. 

Learn more about the Christkindl Market.

Vendor selection process for the Christkindl Market

In an effort to create a more defined and transparent process for vendor selection, a selection process has been adopted for the Christkindl Market. Past participation does not guarantee acceptance to this year’s event. The selection of all Christkindl vendors will be achieved through a group juried selection process administered and facilitated by The Corporation of the City of Kitchener.

• Deadline for the 1^st round of jurying will be May 16. Successful applicants will be notified at the end of June.
• Deadline for the 2^nd round of jurying will be August 8. Successful applicants will be notified by the end of September.
• Applicants not accepted in the 1^st round will be re-evaluated in the 2^nd  round of jurying.
• Vendors not accepted will be put on a list and notified of any openings.

The process for vendor selection will involve:

1. Public call for vendor proposals via the City of Kitchener website and social media channels.
2. Jury selection: The vendor selection jury will consist of: local artisans/members of the business community and City of Kitchener staff.
3. Category: Each application will be placed in one of (up to) 4 categories.
4. Criteria: A defined criteria, as outlined below, will be used by the Vendor Selection Jury in a weighted point system.
5. Decision: During round 1, the highest-ranked applications are accepted based on score and category. The second round vendor applications are determined based on space availability, category and final score.
6. Successful applicants will be notified by email of their participation in the Christkindl Market.
7. All applicants will receive a letter confirming their participation in the Christkindl Market or a letter declining their application for this year.

Acceptance criteria

• Product reflects/identifies with traditional Christmas Market (3 points) - traditional theme/heritage/culture, good fit, giftable
• Previous experience in Christkindl or similar markets/shows (3 points)
• Hand crafted (6 points) – handmade locally(or component of), handmade in Canada/Europe/USA, fair trade, commercial
• Product Quality (5 points) – craftmanship, structure, local ingredients, product consistency, sustainability, functionality
• Creativity & Uniqueness (5 points) –innovative, cultural fit, range of products & menu offerings, relatable to current trends
• Overall product/booth presentation (5 points) – professional display, nice packaging, clear labelling, curb appeal
  • Must provide a clear booth photo

Product categories

• Categories will be determined based on vendor’s product description. The City of Kitchener reserves the final decision on category assignment.
  • NOTE: Commercially manufactured products, work assembled from commercial kits or materials, memberships, or work represented by dealers or agents will not be allowed
• Clothing/Accessories/Jewellery – adult, children, leather, accessories (hats, scarves, mitts, belts metals, stones, costume, glass, beads)
• Food – hot/cold/specialty products, bakery, alcohol, pre-packaged items, prepared food onsite
• Arts/Crafts/Christmas – functional, fabric, ceramic, sculptures, candles, wood, glass, metal, paintings, bags, ornaments, wreaths, figurines, decor
• Other – environmental, pet, household, audio/video, health & body products, toys/games, non-profit organization/charity, churches, fundraisers

Supporting material

Your application must include the following items to be considered complete. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Payments are NOT to be included until acceptance is confirmed. The City is not responsible for damage to, or loss of, supporting material. The following information is mandatory as part of the application process. If you fail to complete the following you may not be considered as a vendor.

• 2025 vendor application form (this form)
• Photos: 3 or 4 photos - 1 must include your booth display. We will not go to a website to print off pictures. Photos will not be returned.
  Attention vendors - You are required to attach your photos to submit the online application.
  Click here to learn how to reduce the size of photo files

  The file size for each photo must not exceed 2MB. Any attachment larger than 2MB will prevent your application from submitting successfully.

  Provided are instructions for reducing the size of photo files:

  On Windows

  1. Open the photo file in the “Paint” app (comes pre-installed on most Windows systems).
  2. In Paint, under the “Home” tab (subcategory “Image”), select “Resize”.
  3. Under Resize, select “By: Pixels”.
  4. Check the box “Maintain aspect ratio”.
  5. Manually adjust the numeric values of the horizontal and/or vertical measures until reaching a desired file size.
  6. Save the new image.

  Click here for more information on photo file size reduction on Windows systems.

  On Mac 

  1. Open the photo file in the “Preview” app (comes pre-installed as the default on most OS systems).
  2. In Preview, select - Tools - Adjust Size
  3. From the “Fit into” drop-down menu under “Image Dimensions” you may need to select a smaller size or customized dimensions.
  4. From the “Resolution” field under “Image Dimensions” decrease the number of pixels/inch until reaching a desired file size.
  5. Save the new image.

  Click here for more information on photo side reduction on Mac systems.

  Other

  Click here for instructions on how to resize a photo file on iPhone, Android, or (free) online LunaPic software.

• Biography: 
  We encourage questions to be answered in bullet points. 
  1. Tell us about your business.
  2. Where else have you sold the product?
  3. What makes your product unique for Christkindl?
  4. Please explain how your product is made and what materials are used. 5)How does your product meet the acceptance criteria, in your opinion?
     
     
• Product description: List, description and price of your products. Products not listed will not be allowed for sale. Samples will not be returned.

Price to exhibit

Indoor vendor

Outdoor food vendor/food truck

Outdoor merchandise vendor

Merchandise huts

 

The location of outdoor booths is subject to change as required.

• Outside lights/décor are installed
• Vendors are responsible for their own lighting and heating inside of their space
• Flags are not allowed outside
• Screwing nails into the outside of the hut is not allowed
• Outdoor vendors must bring their own fire extinguisher for their hut
• Heaters are not to be left on overnight in any circumstance