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Annual Gingerbread Gallery Brings Joy to the Holiday Season Annual Gingerbread Gallery Brings Joy to the Holiday Season

By Meghan O'Brien

A gingerbread house with colored candy lights, a white icing roof, and green trees
© 2018 Meghan O'Brien

Reporter Meghan O’Brien – Each winter the Erie Canal Museum transforms its second floor into a winter wonderland, complete with gingerbread, gumdrops, and icing. This year marks the museum’s 33rd annual Gingerbread Gallery -or the ultimate showcase of sweet treats. Professional and amateur bakers from Syracuse and the surrounding area have constructed their own unique gingerbread creations from classic houses to boats and even santa at the beach. There are over 20 different scenes. Museum director Natalie Stetson said the Gingerbread Gallery has stayed pretty true to the original launch in 1986, with just a few minor adjustments for the better.

Museum director Natalie Stetson – It’s supposed to feel like you’re walking around a little canalside village that’s decorated forthe holidays and doing some window shopping. And the village has existed since that first gingerbread gallery in 1986. It’s been refreshed a little bit here and there, but it’s been around the whole time.

O’Brien – The museum is just one part of downtown Syracuse that’s ready for the holiday season. Just down the street in Clinton Square, you can see behind me, the annual tree and ice skating rink, perfect for bringing holiday cheer. Stetson said she can feel a real sense of community in Syracuse around the holidays.

Stetson – This time of year seems to be a time when people come from around the Syracuse area into the city to celebrate. They come to go ice skating and go to the festival of trees. They come to the gingerbread gallery, and it really is a…Downtown Syracuse becomes a community hub of activity.

O’Brien – And the community sure does come into the museum. Stetson said she expects to see about 6,000 people come through before the gallery closes. A lot of those visitorsare kids with their families, just like seven-year-old, Gabby, who came her dad and younger sister. She loved exploring the gallery had a lot to say about her favorite piece.

Gingerbread lover Gabby – It’s big and I like the details and it makes me hungry and I like the birds. I actually like the birdhouse and the toppings and the candies.

O’Brien – Visitors can check out these edible creations and vote for their favorite until January 6th. The gallery is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $2 for children 12 and under. All costs go toward the museum’s educational programs. In Syracuse, NY, I’m Meghan O’Brien, NCC News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Each winter the Erie Canal Museum transforms its second floor into a winter wonderland, complete with gingerbread, gumdrops, and icing. This year marks the museum’s 33rd annual Gingerbread Gallery, a spectacle that could be described as the ultimate showcase of sweet treats.

 

Professional and amateur bakers from Syracuse and the surrounding area have constructed their own unique gingerbread creations from classic houses to boats and even santa at the beach. There are over 20 different scenes set nicely behind display shop windows.

Museum director Natalie Stetson said the Gingerbread Gallery has stayed pretty true to the original launch in 1986, with just a few minor adjustments, for the better she added.

“It’s supposed to feel like you’re walking around a little canalside village that’s decorated for the holidays and doing some window shopping. And the village has existed since that first gingerbread gallery in 1986. It’s been refreshed a little bit here and there, but it’s been around the whole time,” she said.

The museum is just one part of downtown Syracuse that’s ready for the holiday season. Just down the street in Clinton Square, you will find the annual tree and iceskating rink, perfect for bringing holiday cheer to the whole community.

“This time of year seems to be a time when people come from around the Syracuse area into the city to celebrate. They come to go ice skating and go to the festival of trees; they come to the gingerbread gallery. Downtown Syracuse becomes a community hub of activity,” Stetson said.

She expects to see about 6,000 people come through the museum before the gallery closes. She says a lot of those visitors are kids with their families, just like seven-year-old, Gabby, who came her dad and younger sister.

Gabby said she loved exploring the gallery and had a lot to say about her favorite piece. “It’s big and I like the details and it makes me hungry and I like the birds. I actually like the birdhouse and the toppings and the candies,” she said.

Visitors can check out these edible creations and vote for their favorite gingerbread until January 6th. The gallery is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $2 for children 12 and under. All costs go toward the museum’s educational programs.

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