Seussian Holiday Competition Guidelines
2015 Holiday Exhibition | Springfield, MA
The Springfield Museums are pleased to announce the Seussian Holiday Competition. We invite interested bakery shops,
restaurants, schools, organizations, individuals and young people to submit design plans for imaginative gingerbread
houses by November 13, 2015. Any structure, including designs based on a Dr. Seuss book or story, recreations of
historic homes or buildings, and enchanting holiday creations from your imagination, can be eligible. Selected
gingerbread houses will be on display from November 27-January 3, 2016 in a large holiday exhibit with beautifully
painted murals, festively decorated trees, and other enchanting exhibit elements.
The following guidelines have been set forth and established by the Springfield Museums for the purpose of the Seussian
Holiday Competition. Please retain a copy of the guidelines for your records. For questions or additional information,
call Donna Szaban at 413.263.6800, ext. 285 or email dszaban@springfieldmuseums.org.
IMPORTANT DATES
October 23
November 13
November 16
November 23
November 27
Nov 27-Jan 3
January 4
Early Entry Form Deadline (receive a free gift!)
Final Entry Form Deadline
All Acceptance Notifications Sent (or within one week of submitting an entry form)
Deliver Gingerbread Houses to the Springfield Science Museum
Exhibition Opening, Public Programming Day & Gingerbread Awards Ceremony
Seussian Holiday exhibition open to the public in the Springfield Science Museum
Gingerbread House Pick-Up Day (optional)
ENTERING and QUALIFYING TO ENTER
The competition is open to anyone ages eight (8) and up. Only one (1) gingerbread house per entry form will be accepted.
To be eligible for the competition, a signed and completed entry form must be received by fax or mail prior to 5 p.m. on
Friday, November 13, 2015. Gingerbread houses that are not pre-registered will not be accepted.
The Seussian Holiday Competition entry form must be signed by the individual entering the competition. If the individual
is younger than the age of eighteen (18) by the date of the gingerbread house delivery day, a signature from a parent, legal
guardian, or teacher is required.
Entrants who submit an entry form by October 23, 2015 will receive a special gift when delivering their
gingerbread house to the Springfield Museums, as well as recognition in our exhibition program booklet.
Entrants will be notified about selection decisions within one week of submitting an entry form (or no later than Monday,
November 16). Accepted bakers will receive an email with an entry number, important information about label text that
will be displayed next to the gingerbread house, and other updates and instructions.
CANCELLATION POLICY
In the event that you are no longer able to deliver a gingerbread display and must withdraw from the competition, please
notify Donna Szaban at 413.263.6800, ext. 285 or dszaban@springfieldmuseums.org.
CONTEST DIVISIONS
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Professional Division: Bake Shops, Caterers, Restaurants, or Professional Bakers
Adult Division: Individual or group adult, age 18 & up
Youth Division: Individual or group youth, age 8-17
Staff Division: Museum employees (not eligible for award prizes)
JUDGING PROCESS and CRITERIA
Visitors will vote for their favorite gingerbread entry in each division throughout the opening day on Friday, November 27.
Only one ballot per visitor is allowed. Ballots cast between 10:00 am and 3:45 pm on November 27 will determine the 1st,
2nd and 3rd place winners in each division for the Seussian Holiday Opening Day Awards Ceremony. In the event of a tie,
the Chairperson of the Gingerbread Committee will determine a winner based on the following criteria: Overall
Appearance; Originality & Creativity; and Difficulty & Precision.
Visitors to the Seussian Holiday exhibition will continue to vote for their favorite entries in the ongoing People’s Choice
Awards until January 3, 2016. Updates and the final winners in each division will be posted on the Springfield Museums’
Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/SpringfieldMuseums.
AWARDS
The Seussian Holiday Opening Day Awards Ceremony will be held at 4:00 pm on Friday, November 27 outside of the
exhibit entrance in the Springfield Science Museum. Winners in each division will receive:
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First Place: A household membership to the Springfield Museums ($100 value) and a $100 holiday gift basket.
Second Place: A household membership to the Springfield Museums ($100 value) and a $50 holiday gift basket.
Third Place: A household membership to the Springfield Museums ($100 value).
CONTEST RULES (FOR ALL DIVISIONS)
1. The entry must be original – no gingerbread kits allowed – and must have been constructed in 2015.
2. The entry must fit one of the three thematic areas of the exhibit: 1) a design based on a Dr. Seuss book or story 2)
a recreation of a historic building, or 3) an enchanting holiday creation.
3. The entry does not necessarily have to be in the shape of a traditional “house.” Large scenes or other types of
structures/objects are also allowed.
4. The entry’s major components (such as sides, roofs, etc) must be constructed of gingerbread, not graham crackers,
cookies, gingerbread cake, etc. The rest of the display can be decorated with any edible material.
5. All visible components of the display must be edible. For example, plastic wrapped candies must be unwrapped;
any paper or plastic stems of lollipops should be removed or concealed; tin foil bases should be entirely covered
with edible materials, etc. Any internal structural support for large gingerbread houses does not have to be edible
as long as it is not visible from any angle.
6. You may add electric lighting and/or motorized movement to your entry. Any light bulbs or wires should be
integrated into the display and/or concealed as best as possible.
7. The entry must be delivered in completed form attached to a sturdy base (plywood recommended) enabling it to
be freestanding. Bases must be completely concealed with an edible product except for the side edges, which can
be trimmed with ribbon or other material.
8. Participants must register for the competition by November 13, 2015. Entry forms may be obtained by
emailing dszaban@springfieldmuseums.org, calling 413.263.6800, ext. 285, by stopping by the Museums’
Welcome Center, or downloading an entry form from the museum website at springfieldmuseums.org.
9. All completed gingerbread structures must be delivered to the Museum on Monday, November 23, 2015 and will
remain on display from November 27-January 3. They may not be picked up earlier than January 4, 2016.
10. The Museums reserve the right to not display an entry considered to be inappropriate or not show quality.
ENTRY DROP OFF and PICK UP
Completed gingerbread structures must be delivered to the Springfield Science Museum between the hours of 9 am and 5
pm on Monday, November 23. No exceptions. Bakers will be asked to review and edit their exhibit label text when
dropping off their gingerbread display.
The location of gingerbread displays in the exhibition hall will be determined by Museum staff. The Springfield Museums
cannot be held responsible for any damages incurred to the displays while on the Museums’ property, but staff will take
extra precautions to help ensure the safety of each entry.
Entries can be picked up on Monday, January 4 at the Springfield Science Museum between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm.
Entries not picked up by 5 pm on January 4 will be discarded.