1. All Gingerbread houses must be delivered to the Visitor Center at 26 West Street between 10am and 4:30pm on Saturday, November 22, 2025.

 

2. The public may vote during Visitor Center Hours on Sunday, November 23rd through Sunday, December 7, 2025 by 3:30pm.

 

3. All voting must be received by 3:30pm on Sunday, December 7th. The winner will be announced at that time.

 

All finalists will be on display through Friday, December 19th. All houses must be picked up by 5:00pm Saturday, December 20th.

 

Cash Prizes:

1st Place: $200

2nd Place:  $100 

Visit Annapolis Fan Favorite: $50  

Kids 12 and under First Place: $50

Kids 12 and under Second Place $25

 

Gingerbread House Contest Rules:

• Any structure (house, church, school, barn, lighthouse, train, airplane or any other imaginative dwelling) may be entered.

• The main structure can be constructed of either gingerbread or graham cracker. Original creations are encouraged, but purchased kits are certainly acceptable!

• All components of the display, except the base, must be made of edible materials such as candy, nuts, cereal, cookies, crackers, pretzels, pasta, etc. All wrappers and lollipop sticks should be removed.

• Houses may not contain any food item that needs refrigeration.

• All structures must be mounted on a hard, unbending base.

• Each contestant must fill out an entry from for his / her house.

• Size limit for base is 24” x 24”. Entries need to be sturdy and should be able to be moved without consequence.

• Do not write your name anywhere on your entry. The staff will assign your gingerbread creation a number.

• Use the Royal Icing Recipe or at least a similar one. We cannot accept structures made with egg or butter icings as they can quickly turn rancid and also compromise the durability of the house.

 

Entries will be judged on the following criteria: originality, creativity, attractiveness and decorative appeal, workmanship, stability and durability.