Dracut Rotary Club kicked off the town’s holiday season on December 3rd with the Annual Gingerbread House Competition. Area residents, young and old, were on hand at Gagnon Harmony Hall to view the dozens of sugary creations and vote for their favorites. Visitors were treated to holiday music, cookies, hot cocoa and coffee. Children got to decorate gingerbread cookies. Of course, the highlight of the event was the arrival of Santa. It was a day filled with holiday fun.

The club has been holding the event for the past 15 years to celebrate the holiday season and the town’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. The club collects donated food for the Dracut Food Pantry. Visitors take chances to win one of the donated creations to take home. Admission to the Gingerbread Competition is free. Money raised by the sale of raffle tickets and cash donations is awarded to the food pantry. 

There were four categories in the competition; Professional, Adult, Young Adult (ages 13 to 19 years) and Children (through age 12 ). All winners of the four categories are chosen by the event visitors. Winners are announced at the close of the event. The following creations were this year’s winners: 

Professional – Sugar Coated Bakery
Amateur – John Cole, 1st; Christine Cole, 2nd; Dracut Senior Center; 3rd
Young Adults – Skylar Bergeron, 1st; Annamae Kelley, 2nd; Kelsey & Alyssa Bergeron, 3rd
Youth:  Adeline, Gwendolyne & Loralye Bergeron, 1st; Timothy Pagg, 2nd;  Violet Kennedy, 3rd.

Thank you to all who donated gingerbread creation, all volunteers, and all the visitors at the 2022 competition.