19th Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza showcases edible structures from local talent
Jacksonville’s most beloved holiday tradition, the 19th Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza, will open on Saturday, Dec. 4 and close on Wednesday, Dec. 22 with dozens of stunning displays from local gingerbread builders.
The 21-day event will again feature a scavenger hunt, holiday gift and bake shop, a virtual silent auction, and an online $1-a-vote competition for Best Display. Also returning this year are tours of the Merrill House Museum, included in the price of the ticket. Mid-morning time slots for the exhibit and tour are reserved for school groups; late morning to early afternoon for seniors, and general admission is available from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed Mondays and on Dec. 19, Gingerbread Extravaganza takes place at Old St. Andrew’s Church, 317 A. Philip Randolph Blvd., next to the ballpark. Visit jaxhistory.org for all the details about how to purchase tickets and reserve your time slot. Walk-ins are welcome but reservations encouraged for parties of four or more.
Each year since 2003, individuals, families and school groups from the historic neighborhoods have participated in the event with gingerbread creations of all levels of expertise and this year is no different.
Third grade teacher Drew Haramis, of Venetia, draws her class into history and a little bit of architecture and engineering every year with a display that honors a historic structure. This year, the third-grade class from Episcopal School of Jacksonville – St. Mark’s Campus created Downtown Jacksonville’s Laura Street Trio, currently slated for re-development.
“My class looks forward to building a historical structure every year,” said Haramis. “We connect it to our Jacksonville history unit. The Laura Street Trio has been in the news lately so we thought it would be a fun structure to build, using gingerbread and lots of icing!”
Ortega resident Kelly Brenner returns as a second-year builder this year with a display called Island of Misfit Toys.
“I’ve always been attracted to the less traditional aspects of Christmas – Krampus, Nightmare Before Christmas – and thought this would be fun to try,” said Brenner, who has no help creating her display out of “gingerbread, fondant and a lotta love.” She said it took about three weeks after work and on weekends to create. “This is a therapeutic solo project to ensure I keep making art.”
A high school teacher and former baker challenged students to do something outside their comfort zone. Cedar Springs resident Elizabeth Kerns wanted the Bishop Snyder High School Art Club to create something as a way to get involved outside of the high school community. “The Gingerbread Extravaganza is one of my favorite holiday events full of sensory experiences: eating cookies, drinking cocoa, listening to carols, while enjoying the décor and edible builds,” said Kerns. “In addition, Old St. Andrew’s Church is a beautiful historic venue. Not one of the students participating has ever been to the Extravaganza – they are missing out!”
The Art Club decided to build “Christmas on the Ark” to include an aspect of the school’s Catholic identity in combination with a holiday theme. “We landed on Noah’s Ark because we saw the potential to fashion Noah in the likeness of Santa, we plan to deck out the ark in holiday swag and create cute arctic themed animals. Since Noah’s journey and the global Flood came before the birth of Jesus Christ, Noah was not able to experience or celebrate the Christmas season. However, he had much to celebrate when God saved Noah, his family, and representatives from the animal kingdom,” Kern explained.
Last year, after years of attending the annual Gingerbread Extravaganza, a Murray Hill family was finally motivated to give building a try. They enjoyed the experience so much that, this year, they entered three displays, all focusing on birds. Sisters Imogen and Isabel Flowers and their mother Catherine Cashore, created one display called Clark’s Nutcracker, another featured the Ivory Billed Woodpecker, which is an extinct bird native to Florida, then they entered a third display called “Silent Night: Remembering the Lord God Bird.”
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