Tables filled with gingerbread houses and complex creations, sugar art, and sweet treats will be on display — and for sale — at the Rotary Club of Innisfil’s fourth annual Simcoe County Gingerbread House Contest this Saturday.
Bakers of all ages and abilities will compete in various categories — Kid Bakers (ages six to 12), Youth Bakers (13 to 18), Adult Beginners (19-plus), Adult Hobbyists (19-plus), Beginner Group/Team, and Group/Team. First and second-place prizes will be awarded by a panel of judges, including esteemed winners of multiple international baking contests and returning contest judges, Beatriz Muller — the grand prize winner of the Food Network’s Gingerbread House Contest in 2018 — and Teresa Araujo — who won the Food Network’s The Big Bake in 2021.
“Gingerbread competitions have changed a lot over the years. They evolved from traditional gingerbread houses decorated with candies into very complex and creative gingerbread works of sugar art,” Muller said. “You still see some candy decorations in the kids category, but mostly, you see all the sugar mediums used for cake decorating being applied to gingerbread structures of every type. Also, in the sugarcraft community, 3D cookie art is becoming very popular, and most bakers use gingerbread to build their structures.”
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lakeshore branch of the Innisfil ideaLAB and Library (967 Innisfil Beach Rd.).
“Gingerbread making is an art form. It is very magical. I use gingerbread pieces in my sugar landscape for competition entries,” Araujo said. “The hardest part of judging the gingerbread creations is to take into consideration the level of the entries, and through the points system we use, be fair and judge the difficulty of the techniques used with the overall final look of the piece.”
Muller says local contests can be an entry point into bigger competitions.
“I started competing in local/regional cake competitions before moving to professional competitions,” she said. “(It) gives you the perfect opportunity to show your sweet creations, and encourages you to learn new techniques and grow your sugarcraft skills.”
Mayor Lynn Dollin says the Nov. 30 contest is a "sweet" way to get into the holiday spirit.
“I am always amazed at the creativity and imagination on display," she said. "There are definitely many talented bakers in our community ... and this contest allows them to showcase their skills. It is also so heartwarming to see the houses submitted by children and youth who work so hard to create their masterpieces.”
Club president Ken Simpson will also serve as a judge, and notes Rotary supports "many charities and local community groups."
"Build a gingerbread house and be a part of our community," he said.
As chair of the Innisfil Arts, Culture and Heritage Council (IACHC), Sydney Hardie has served as a judge in every gingerbread contest so far.
“Submissions are so varied, some from families that are doing them together, or the kids creating them on their own, to group submissions and adults bakers with great experience,” she said. “The gingerbread creations are a wonderful blend of art and baking, with intricate designs, colourful icing and decorations, and unexpected themes. It’s more than just baking, it really shows how we can turn simple ingredients into imaginative works of art for everyone to enjoy."
Hardie wants to see more local artists participate.
“For artists who work in traditional mediums like painting, working on a gingerbread creation could be a great way to experiment, use totally different tools, and explore new ways to express ideas, and give themselves new perspective on their own craft," she said.
In addition to competition between the aforementioned categories, event chair Anne Kell said “the the library will offer a children's class, teaching participants how to put together a gingerbread kit, to help encourage young 'gingerneers' in our community. The kits entered into the contest will be judged in their own separate category.”
“The library is providing a special gift basket filled with items created in the hackLAB for the ‘People's Choice’ winner,” Kell said.
Winners will be announced at 1:30 p.m.
“We will again be featuring our life-sized gingerbread house made by Tim and Carol Hill. In addition, we now have a life-sized gingerbread man, created by Jamie Hardie, who will stand beside the gingerbread house,” Kell said. “There will be a gingerbread-themed storytime offered by the library and just as the storytime finishes, Santa (Claus) will be stopping by to visit all the children.”
Several vendors will be in attendance to offer their unique products, and Rotarians will be selling baked goods.
“Visitors can get some of their Christmas shopping completed or pick up some tasty baked goods for the holidays, as well as enjoy the amazing gingerbread creations that will be on display that day,” Kell said.
Learn more about the club through its website.
