Gingerbread house contest
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on October 30, 2013 1:46 PM
A lighthouse, a birdhouse, the park house at Herman Park -- the Arts Council of Wayne County has seen it all during its annual Gingerbread House contest.
The Arts Council will be taking entries for the eighth annual contest Nov. 22 and 23 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 102 N. John St.
They will be judged Nov. 25, and will be on display through Dec. 21.
The entry fee is $10 per gingerbread house.
This year's categories are ages 6 through 10, ages 11 through 17 and adults 18 and older. Professionals may also enter, but there is no prize for this category.
There is also a team category. The team's award will be based on the age of the oldest team member.
For children, first-, second- and third-place winners will receive a ribbon and an art supply kit.
For adults, first place will receive a $200 cash award, second place a $50 cash award and third place a $25 cash award, in addition to ribbons.
Creations don't have to be houses, though. They can be barns, churches, castles or other structures.
The walls must be made of gingerbread and everything in the scene must be edible.
Adults cannot use a kit or store-bought gingerbread house. Children may use a kit, but no pre-constructed, store-bought gingerbread house.
The creations may be for sale, but don't have to be. The Arts Council will receive 35 percent of the sales.
There are usually between 20 and 30 entries each year, most of those being children.
"We'd like to see more adult and team entries," said Arts Council director Sarah Merritt. "We've had all kinds of cool creations. I don't enter the contest, but one year I made a gingerbread VW bus complete with little gingerbread people inside it."
The contest originally started as a fun way to celebrate the holidays and as a fun holiday destination for people as they walk through the display, Mrs. Merritt said.
"Start your mixers and get your thinking caps on and start planning and creating a fabulous gingerbread house," Mrs. said.
For more information about entering the gingerbread house contest, call the Arts Council at 919-736-3300.