Gingerbread Competition and Charity Auction

Pop open those advent calendars and load up on low-grade chocolate, it’s December! Gearing up for holiday events filled with cheer, I’ll be profiling many more events, fundraisers, and activities for families.

Photo credit: Carol Browne on Flickr

Last year launched the first annual Gingerbread Competition and Charity Auction that saw top local architects and designers construct sweet creations that were then auctioned off for charity. They’re back again this year with a new set of competitors, baking up unique designs for a good cause.

The rules are pretty simple: entries must be made from edible materials and constructed at a scale to fit within a 16″ x 16″ box. Once the structures are built, breaking the traditional mold by letting go of conventional jujube and candy-cane forms, bidding takes place online (starting December 3rd) and is followed by a fundraising gala (December 10th) filled with entertainment and libations.

The houses will be judged by an all-star panel consisting of last year’s competition and auction winner Architect D’Arcy Jones, Architect Bill Pechet, Conceptual Artist Ken Lum, and Contemporary Art Gallery Director Christina Ritchie.

To get an idea of the caliber of gingerbread work, you can browse the gallery of last year’s houses.

Participating gingerbread architects this year include:

The gala on December 10th runs from 7:00pm to 10:00pm at the Museum of Vancouver (1100 Chestnut Street) and photos of the gingerbread houses will be online a week in advance to accommodate bids.

Tickets for the gala can be purchased online for $20 and you will also be able to bid in-person at the event. All proceeds will be donated to Architecture for Humanity (Vancouver Chapter).