Call for Entries! 2025 Exhibition
Welcome to Jurassic Gingerbread! Whether they roamed the Earth in the Mesozoic Era or inhabited the world of TV and film, dinosaurs have been a constant source of imagination and curiosity for all ages. Jurassic Gingerbread, our 16th annual holiday exhibit, will blend paleontology and pop culture as local bakers creatively interpret the ever-popular theme.
We invite bakeries, schools, organizations, individuals, and families to register by Monday, November 10, 2025. Any structure is eligible, whether the design supports the dinosaur theme, or represents a traditional holiday scene. Gingerbread displays will be on view in an immersive and festive gallery setting from November 28-December 31, 2025.
For questions or additional information, call 413-314-6486 or email programs@springfieldmuseums.org.
Important Dates
Monday, November 10
Final Entry Deadline
Monday, November 24
Delivery Day
Friday, November 28
Exhibit opens to the public
Tuesday, December 31
Exhibit closes
Friday, January 2
Pick-Up Day
ENTERING THE EXHIBIT
Only one (1) gingerbread display per entry form will be accepted. To be eligible for the exhibition, a completed entry form must be received via the website, or by email or mail prior to 5 pm on Monday, November 10, 2025. Gingerbread displays that are not pre-registered will not be accepted.
Entrants will be notified about selection decisions within one week of submitting an entry form (or no later than Tuesday, November 12). Bakers will receive emails with important information about label text that will be displayed next to the gingerbread display, and other updates and instructions.
CANCELLATION POLICY
In the event that you are no longer able to deliver a gingerbread display and must withdraw from the competition, please notify Larissa Murray at 413-314-6486 or programs@springfieldmuseums.org.
EXHIBIT DIVISIONS
- Adult Division: Individual or group adult, age 19 & up
- Youth Division: Individual or group youth, age 13-18, or families with children 13-18
- Family Division: Families participating with children, ages 12 and under (Please note: children must participate in the creation of the display.)
PARTICIPATION GIFT
All registered participants will receive a festive gift when delivering their gingerbread display on Monday, November 24. Additionally, bakers will receive passes to visit the Springfield Museums during the exhibition.
PUBLIC VOTING
Voting for the “People’s Choice” designations will take place online using a QR code. Visitors will vote for their favorite gingerbread entry in each division throughout the entire run of the exhibition, Friday, November 28 through Sunday, December 31, 2025. People’s Choice designees in each division will be posted in January 2025 on the Springfield Museums’ social media channels and our blog: https://springfieldmuseums.org/blog/.
EXHIBIT RULES (FOR ALL DIVISIONS)
- The entry must be original – no gingerbread kits allowed – and must have been constructed in 2025.
- Entries are encouraged to fit into the following thematic areas: 1) a design based on the Jurassic Gingerbread theme, or 2) a traditional holiday design. The entry does not necessarily have to be in the shape of a traditional “house.” Larger scenes or other types of structures/objects are also allowed but should not exceed 24 x 24 inches without permission.
- The entry’s major components (such as sides, roofs, etc.) must be constructed of gingerbread, not graham crackers, cookies, gingerbread cake, etc. The rest of the display can be decorated with any edible material.
- All visible components of the display must be edible. For example, plastic wrapped candies must be unwrapped; tin foil bases should be entirely covered with edible materials, etc. Internal structural support for large gingerbread displays does not have to be edible as long as it is not visible.
- You may add electric lighting and/or motorized movement to your entry. Any light bulbs or wires should be integrated into the display and/or concealed as best as possible. Lights must be wired with a plug. Museum staff will plug in the lights, and they will go on and off with the lighting in the exhibition hall.
- The entry must be delivered in completed form attached to a sturdy base (plywood recommended) enabling it to be freestanding. Bases must be completely concealed with an edible product except for the side edges, which can be trimmed with ribbon or other material.
- Participants must register for the exhibition by November 10. All completed gingerbread structures must be delivered to the Museum on Monday, November 24, and will remain on display from November 28-December 31. They may not be picked up earlier than January 2.
- The Museums reserve the right to not display an entry considered to be inappropriate or not show quality.
ENTRY DROP OFF and PICK UP
Completed gingerbread structures must be delivered to the Springfield Museums Welcome Center between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm on Monday, November 24. Bakers will be asked to review and edit their exhibit label text when dropping off their gingerbread display.
The location of gingerbread displays in the exhibition hall will be determined by Museum staff. The Springfield Museums cannot be held responsible for any damage incurred to the displays while on the Museums’ property, but staff will take extra precautions to help ensure the safety of each entry.
Entries can be picked up on Friday, January 2 at the Welcome Center between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm. Entries not picked up by 5 pm on January 2 will be discarded.