PENDLETON — The second annual Friends of the Pendleton Community Library Gingerbread Cottage Contest is just a few weeks away, and organizers are working to make this year’s event bigger and better than ever.
This year’s Gingerbread Cottage Contest event will take place during the library’s Holiday Open House on Sunday, Dec. 9.
Cost to enter is $10. Participants will receive a gingerbread recipe, building directions and pattern pieces. Participants who pay a $20 entry fee will receive a full decorating kit.
The Friends group wants to make sure this year’s contestants produce their best work by offering a gingerbread decorating contest class for people of all ages.
Gingerbread Decorating 101 is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the library, 595 E. Water St.
The Friends group also has reached out to the local chapter of Best Buddies and plans to conduct a decorating night for the Best Buddies participants and display their creations during an open house at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at Pendleton Heights High School.
During the decorating class, organizers will present ideas for gingerbread cottages. Attendees will be able to decorate a tiny gingerbread cottage, try some icing techniques and hopefully find some inspiration for their entries, event organizer Liza Sexson said.
From sugary hills to gumdrop roads, organizers hope to build a gingerbread cottage community with all the entries, they wrote in a press release.
Registration for the contest lasts through Thursday, Dec. 6. All entries must be turned in at the library on Wednesday, Dec. 5, and Thursday, Dec. 6.
There once again will be local celebrity judges, and First Merchants Bank will be the presenting sponsor.
Last year’s winners received free entries for this year’s contest, and organizers said they hope people will defend their titles with style.
There will be Best in Show honors presented in beginner, intermediate and advanced categories, and a People’s Choice category judged by visitors during the open house.
For more details on the event, contact event organizers at 765-778-7527 or visit the library during regular hours, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.
