By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
“Gingerbread House Party” is the theme of the 2023 Christmas Walk which will feature a full day of festivities, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9.
The theme of the Christmas Walk changes from year to year, and this year’s theme includes a Gingerbread House Competition, hosted by the Geneseo Art League & Gallery, located at 125 North State St.
There is no cost to enter the competition. and the Grand Champion will be announced at noon during the Geneseo Chamber’s Shop Geneseo! Drawing live on the Geneseo Chamber of Commerce Face book page.
Visitors to the 2023 Geneseo Christmas Walk are invited to visit the Geneseo Art League to vote for their favorite Gingerbread House. The winner will be crowned Grand Champion, and will win a $100 Geneseo Chamber Gift Certificate.
Anyone entering the competition is asked to include their name and Gingerbread House title in a visible separate piece of paper. All Gingerbread Houses must be placed on a plywood board base or cardboard not exceeding 24” x 24”. No peanuts, tree nuts, or any nuts are allowed.
The Gingerbread Houses must be 100 percent edible candy/embellishments/materials except for lights inside or outside the house. Non-edible support structure material other than the baseboard may not be used.
Non-edible decorations, such as paint, ribbon, figurines, etc. may be used ONLY to decorate the base. A list of materials used to create the Gingerbread House along with a title and brief description should be submitted with each entry.
Completed entries must be submitted on site to the Geneseo Chamber of Commerce office, located at 117 South Oakwood Ave., inside of Geneseo City Hall, or submitted by email to: geneseo@geneseo.org no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 4.
Entries to the Gingerbread House competition must be left at the Geneseo Art League by 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8. Competition begins Saturday, Dec. 9, during the 2023 Christmas Walk.
The Grand Champion will be announced at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 13, during the Geneseo Chamber’s “Shop Geneseo” Drawing live on the Geneseo Chamber of Commerce Face book page.
Jodi Haars, seated, president of the Geneseo Art League, is in the process of building a Gingerbread House for this year’s Geneseo Christmas Walk which has a theme of “Gingerbread House Party.” “Helping” Haars put the pieces together are from left, Sullivan Nichols, seven-year-old daughter of Joe and Amanda Nichols; Maud Depies, at right, five-year-old daughter of Steve and Lisa Depies. Zack Sullivan, executive director of the Geneseo Chamber of Commerce, sponsors of the annual Christmas Walk, shows the sign promoting the 2023 Walk on Dec. 9. Photo by Claudia Loucks