Jacksonville News

Come to the 21st Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza

Exhibit runs through December 27
Jacksonville, FL, Nov. 22, 2023 –The 21st Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza opens Friday, December 8, and runs through Tuesday, December 27. For the second year, the Jacksonville Historical Society will offer Kids Day on Sunday, December 10, 12-5 p.m., featuring photo ops with Santa Claus, facepainting artists, scavenger hunt, and more.
The annual holiday event includes dozens of handmade gingerbread creations in four judged categories (Historic Structure, Fantasy, Traditional, and Religious) by builders of all ages. Gingerbread builders may submit creations through December 1; visit jaxhistory.org for details.
Visitors will also enjoy more than a dozen holiday trees lavishly decorated by the Junior League of Jacksonville, which celebrates its centennial this year. A silent auction and the holiday shop are sure to have something for everyone on your holiday list.
The event is the biggest fundraiser for the 94-year-old Jacksonville Historical Society and is supported by a grant from the Delores Barr Weaver Forever Event Fund, as well as donations from VyStar Credit Union, the Jess and Brewster J. Durkee Foundation, the Rotary Club of Riverside, the Timuquana Country Club, also celebrating its centennial in 2023; and from many local philanthropists. The event is also supported by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.
“The Gingerbread Extravaganza is a beloved Jacksonville holiday tradition,” said Alan J. Bliss, Jacksonville Historical Society CEO. “We carry on a tradition started by the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville in 2003 and hosted by the Rotarians through 2010.”
Opening/closing times vary by day; schedule and tickets are available at jaxhistory.org. Walk-ins welcome. The exhibit is open Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for school or seniors’ groups by reservation; contact info@jaxhistory.org or call (904) 665-0064. The event is closed on Dec. 11, 17-18, and 24-25. The Gingerbread Extravaganza is held in the historical Old St. Andrew’s Church, located at 317 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. Parking is free in the grass lot along Duval Street next to the ballpark.
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Best in Show: Master builder Sara Aicher took home Best in Show at the 20th Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza in 2022.
Best Traditional: This gingerbread mansion, created by first-time builder Kenda DeFord, won People’s Choice and Best Traditional display in 2022.
About The Jacksonville Historical Society/Jacksonville History Center
The Jacksonville Historical Society, established in 1929, serves the public by maintaining an archival repository of documents, photographs, rare books, and architectural artifacts relating to Jacksonville-area history. With offices located in the Old St. Luke’s Hospital building on Palmetto Street, the society supports restoration, renovation or adaptive re-use of Jacksonville’s historic structures; offers educational programs on a variety of Jacksonville history topics, creates historic exhibits for a variety of venues, and leads walking tours, among many other activities. The Jacksonville Historical Society manages the Jacksonville History Center, which is composed of Old St. Luke’s Hospital and the former Florida Casket Company building on the Palmetto Street campus, as well as two City of Jacksonville properties, Old St. Andrew’s Church and the James E. Merrill House Museum, both located on A. Philip Randolph Blvd.