Local businesses, construction professionals and community members will come together for a festive competition benefiting affordable housing and educational scholarships during The Great Gingerbread Build-Off on Thursday, December 3, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Manatee Technical College’s Cantrell Hall.
The holiday event will feature up to 40 teams competing to create elaborate gingerbread structures and scenes using icing, candy and other decorative materials. Teams of up to eight participants will have two hours to complete their creations, with at least two-thirds of each finished project required to be edible.
Once the competition ends, participants must stop building and leave the competition area while a panel of celebrity judges evaluates the entries.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams, including $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place and $750 for third. Completed gingerbread creations will also be sold to generate additional funds for the event’s charitable beneficiaries.
Proceeds will support Manatee County Habitat for Humanity’s 2027 Women Build, an annual initiative that brings women together to help a single mother and her family achieve safe, affordable homeownership.
A portion of the proceeds will also benefit the National Association of Women in Construction’s NSFS scholarship program, which provides educational scholarships through an application process.
The event offers opportunities for businesses, construction industry professionals and community members to participate through team registration, sponsorships and ticket purchases.
Additional information, tickets, sponsorship opportunities and team registration are available at WBGingerbread.org.
