The Springfield Museums are inviting bakeries, schools, individual bakers and young people to submit design plans to create gingerbread houses that will be on view at the Springfield Science Museum as part of the holiday exhibit The Magic of Gingerbread. The exhibit is sponsored by Yankee Candle. MassMutual is the 2013 Premier Sponsor of the Springfield Museums.

Entry forms and design plans must be submitted by November 15. Bakers who commit by the October 31 early registration deadline will receive a large jar candle from exhibition sponsor Yankee Candle and will be included in this year’s exhibit program booklet.

Any structure, including designs based on holiday stories, recreations of historic homes or buildings, and magical make-believe creations, will be eligible. Gingerbread houses will be displayed against a backdrop of murals that represent magical mid-winter scenes, beautifully decorated holiday trees, and vignettes inspired by Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol.

Applications and Guidelines

Applicants will be notified about selection decisions by November 18. Gingerbread houses that are not pre-registered will not be accepted. Completed gingerbread houses must be delivered to the Museums on November 25 and will be on display from November 29 through December 31. Applications and guidelines may be obtained by downloading the form from the museum website at springfieldmuseums.org, stopping by the museum Welcome Center, emailing lscott@springfieldmuseums.org, or calling 413.263.6800, ext. 387.

Entries will be accepted in the following contest divisions:

• Professional Division: bake shops, caterers, restaurants, or professional bakers
• Adult Division: individuals or groups age 18 & up
• Youth Division: individuals or groups age 8-17 (School and youth groups are welcome to apply.)

Visitors on November 29 will vote for their favorite gingerbread entry in each division and prize awards will be presented that day at 4 pm. Voting will continue for People’s Choice Awards until December 31, and the final winners in each division will be posted on the Springfield Museums’ Facebook page.

The Magic of Gingerbread exhibition is being created by artist John Simpson and UMass Commonwealth College Honors students, with the support of the UMass Fine Arts Center Theater Department. For additional information about the gingerbread competition, please contact Laura Scott at 413.263.6800, ext. 387 or lscott@springfieldmuseums.org.