2024 Gingerbread House Competition Rules & Sign-Up
Prizes
A first, second, and third-place winner will be announced for each category.
First, second, and third-place winners in the Elementary, Middle, and High School categories will be awarded $100, $75, and $50 respectively.
First, second, and third-place winners in the adult category will be awarded $500, $250, and $100 respectively.
First, second, and third-place winners in the non-profit category will be awarded $1,000, $500, and $250 respectively.
Fan Favorite! Visitors to the Festhalle will vote between Dec 6 - Dec 23, and the winner announced on Christmas Eve.
Rules
All components of the display, except as listed below, must be made of edible materials. Edible materials include candy, nuts, cereal, cookies, crackers, pasta, and other food items that do not include wrappers or sticks. Wrappers should be removed from candy and other decorations.
The base does not need to be edible but should be attractive and sturdy
Marzipan/fondant/gum paste characters can be attached with a toothpick but the toothpick must not be visible.
You may have a light inside of a building but it should be obscured (so we can’t see the hardware) and it must not blink in any way, must be battery-powered, and must operate on its own (we will not turn switches on/off).
Entries must be freestanding and securely attached to a rigid base.
The height of the house should be no more than 2 feet. The base should be no more than 2 feet long by 2 feet wide.
Gingerbread structures may be houses, train stations, barns, birdhouses, lighthouses, bridges, ships, or other imaginative dwellings related to the holidays.
All entries will be on display to the public so they must be family-friendly.
The design and decoration should be holiday-related.
Entries must be original, no gingerbread house kits allowed.
Entries must be dropped off at the Festhalle (1001 Front Street, Leavenworth, WA, 98826) BY Thursday, December 5th between the hours of Noon – 4 pm. You may deliver any day this week but they must arrive by Thursday afternoon. The Festhalle will be open from Noon to 4 pm Sunday through Thursday.
Entries will remain on display at the Leavenworth Festhalle through December 24th.
Entries must be picked up by December 24th or they will be discarded.
Participants must live in Chelan County or be representing an organization based in Chelan County.
Judging
Judging takes place Dec 6 - 8. Winners for each category will be announced on social media by December 9th. Please remember this is an amateur contest and that Judges’ decisions are final.
Judges will choose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner for each of the 5 categories.
Each judge will use the rules above as their grading criteria. Extra points will be awarded for the variety of edible food used, the use of a theme, and the incorporation of the platform into the theme.