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11/16/2021 03:41 PMInterested in scratching your artistic itch and your sweet tooth? Check out Old Saybrook’s second annual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest. Entries are due Friday, Dec. 10 and will be judged Friday, Dec. 17.
The contest is free to enter and open to anyone regardless of age or ability. Kits are even available for kids. To participate, participants need to follow four steps.
The first is to pick up a cake board, called a half sheet, from The Pursuit of Pastry, 719 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook, to display the house. The sheets will be available starting Monday, Nov. 29.
Second, the gingerbread creations must be built on the half sheets using only edible items.
Third, participants must register their gingerbread creation online at OSGingerbread.com no later than 2 p.m. on Dec. 10.
Finally, participants must also bring their gingerbread creation to Pursuit of Pastry or Dagmar’s Desserts, 75 Main Street, Old Saybrook, no later than 2 p.m. on Dec. 10. The judging panel of Jill Peterson of The Pursuit of Pastry, Dagmar Ratensperger of Dagmar’s Desserts, and Franck Iglesias of Cake by Franck @ Foxwoods will select the winners.
Participants don’t have to be Old Saybrook residents, nor do they even have to enter the contest—people can opt to make a creation and have it been displayed without having it entered in the contest.
The creations will be displayed at The Pursuit of Pastry and Dagmar’s Desserts through Dec. 31.
This year, the top three winners will receive a $aybucks eGift Cards as a prize. First place will win $250, second place $100, and third place will win $50. $aybucks is a program run by the Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce that uses virtual gift cards that are good at about 50 different businesses in Old Saybrook.
“They can be used for holiday shopping or given as gifts. Plus, the money goes right back into the town, which helps with business recovery from the pandemic,” said Susan Beckman, the town’s economic development director.
Beckman said that the idea for the contest was actually a bit of “serendipity” that occurred during the summer of 2020. Beckman said that the Economic Development Commission (EDC) was trying to come up with a plan for a socially distanced event and at the same time she was talking with Peterson, who was thinking of holding a gingerbread contest.
“We partnered up on it and the EDC put resources into supporting it,” said Beckman, who also touted the fact the event was fun, safe, and socially distanced.
Beckman said that since the display will up until the New Year’s Eve, it will give visitors to Old Saybrook one more way to get in the holiday spirit.
“The idea is anyone can come take look and enjoy the creativity that’s been forth,” Beckman said.
Beckman said the creativity on display is the best part of the event for her.
“It was fun and festive and whimsical. Seeing the creativity, people just went through incredible effort,” said Beckman.
There are also prepacked kits available for kids to use.
Beckman said that last year there were 24 entries submitted and organizers are hoping for even more this year.
For more information, visit OSGingerbread.com.