California Gingerbread House Contests

Gingerbread is celebrated each year with National Gingerbread Day in June in the state of California. The most popular time in which Gingerbread is recognized, however, is winter during four or five weeks before Christmas.
Annual Gingerbread Contests, Displays and Events:


Sonoma Valley Gingerbread Wineries Contest. Occurs every year from Dec. 1 – 31. Contest entries are displayed at participating wineries.

Half Moon Bay Ritz-Carlton Gingerbread Contest. All Gingerbread House creations are displayed in early December. Auction bids are accepted for houses, after the pastry chefs from The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay leads a panel of judges in selecting the winners in each category. Criteria include structural design, creative use of materials, detailing, and overall design excellence. Award winners are announced during the annual holiday tree lighting ceremony. Read more here.