Gingerbread house competition open for registration
By Sherry Lucas
The season’s sweetest and spiciest contest is right around the corner, with Main Street Clinton’s 6th annual Gingerbread House Competition, hosted at the Olde Towne Depot.
The steadily-growing event provides a creative outlet for bakers and decorators of all ages, to construct and festoon their own versions of this charming holiday staple. Four age categories pit bakers against their peers: 6 years old and younger; 7 to 12 years old; 13 to 18 years old; adult.
“Last year, we had.a pretty awesome turnout, with about twenty gingerbread houses,” said Olde Towne Depot Manager and Main Street Clinton Assistant Director Ashley Hammack. Festively arranged around the train display, the showing provided a great get-out-and-about opportunity for folks to drop by and see the results.
“We’ll have snowflakes hanging and have the gingerbread houses on display,” Hammack said. “All of them are adorable, and some of them are really impressive. Last year, someone actually did a replica of the Depot, and someone else did a fun teapot.”
“This is a festive, fun thing where we get to see the creativity of our community,” said Hammack. “It’s continued to grow each year.”
The low buy-in (entry is just $5) and the popularity of baking shows have likely helped boost the number of participants, but drop-in traffic, too, has inspired folks to try their own hand at gingerbread house construction and decoration.
“There’s more of a drive of family participation,” Hammack noted. “It’s just something fun, something a little different and not anything that requires a ton of money or time.”
Entrants receive a certificate, and winners in each category and the People’s Choice Award winner receive a certificate and a gift card to a downtown business. Organizers added the People’s Choice Award last year, which served as an extra enticement for community members to check out the display.
“I think people like being a part of it, said Hammack. “They had some tough choices, and I’m sure they’ll have some tough choices again this year.”
“I’m excited to see how much more creative people get, as well as the number of participants we have,” Hammack said. “It is definitely a hit.”
Find rules and regulations at https://MainStreetClinton.wufoo.com/forms/gingerbread-house-competition-2024/. The entry fee is $5, and registration forms must be received by Saturday, December 14. Gingerbread houses may be dropped off at the Olde Towne Depot by December 14, and they will be on display the following week for the public to drop in, admire the display and vote for a People’s Choice Award.
While mulling a gingerbread house design, Clintonians can get into the Christmas spirit with another festive and feel-good event at the Depot: a Christmas card station, set up December 3-12, with cards that people can stop by and sign, or they can drop off cards made at home. The cards will be delivered to local nursing homes before Christmas.
