1st ANNUAL GINGERBREAD HOUST COMPETITION

IMPORTANT DATES

Entry form deadline

November 1, 2024

Entry Registration Drop Off

December 6, 2024 - 2pm -6pm

Judging (not open to the public)

December 7, 2024 – 12pm-3pm

Announcement of Winners

During the Parade – Starting at 5pm

Display of Entries

Entries will be distributed throughout the downtown business district, December 9, 2024 and be on display for 1 week.

Entry Categories

• Adult- Individuals 18 years of ager and older entering as a single entrant or team

• Teen- Individuals 13 to 17 years of age entering as a single entrant or team

• Youth/Child- Individuals 5 to 12 years of age entering as a single entrant or team

Entry Criteria

All entries will be judged on five criteria and will be scored on a scale of 1-10 and the entry (single or team) with the most points in each category will be the winner.

• (1) Overall Design and Appearance (3 points)- This includes scale and proportion as well as the amount of exposed gingerbread. This is a “gingerbread” competition so the more exposed gingerbread (not covered up by icing, candy or other decorative elements) will result in a higher score.
• (2) Originality and Creativity (2 points) – Just because this is a gingerbread house competition does not mean that the entry is limited to a house. Use your imagination. The judges will consider how differently the entry is designed and presented.
• (3) Use of Color (1 point) – The use of color does not only mean the color pallet you choose but also the balance and consistency of the color throughout the entry
• (4) Precision and neatness (3 points) – Seams should be camouflaged, if you are piping icing it should be even and consistently sized, no smudges, etc.
• (5) Consistency of Theme (1 point) - Does your entry tell a story and is that story carried throughout the entire piece.

Decorative elements that are handmade will carry more wight that prefabricated elements. All rulings by the judges are independent and final.

Entry Criteria – Size Limitations

Entries including the base are not to exceed 18”x 18” x 18”. All entries must be placed on a sturdy base. It is recommended that the base be ½” or ¾” plywood. Use of a cake board is not sufficiently sturdy enough. No decoration should extend past your base. Non-edible materials such as paint or ribbon are approved to decorate the outer edge of the plywood base. Entries should not weigh more than 50 pounds.

Entry Criteria – Materials and Construction

• Everything from the base up must be edible such as candies (wrappers and sticks removed), gum paste, fondant, chocolate, modeling chocolate, royal icing, gelatin. Use of disco dust, rainbow dust is permitted.
• No artificial display or structural materials such as Styrofoam, interior/exterior lighting, wooden sticks for support will be allowed.
• Upon receiving your application, you will be notified and given an entry number. You must display the entry number somewhere on your entry that is visible for the judges. For example, A101. This could be on then edge of your board or within the structure itself.

Prizes

Depending on the number of entries in each category, there will be a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner in each category.

Adult (single entry or team)

• 1st place winner will receive $100 and ribbon
• 2nd place winner will receive a ribbon
• 3rd place winner will receive a ribbon

Teen (single entry or team)

• 1st place winner will receive $75 and a ribbon
• 2nd place winner will receive a ribbon
• 3rd place winner will receive a ribbon

Youth/Child (single entry or team)

• 1st place winner will receive $50 and a ribbon
• 2nd place winner will receive a ribbon
• 3rd place winner will receive ribbon