by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
The first thing that hits you when you walk in the door at Old St. Andrews, home of the Jacksonville Historical Society, is the scent of fine old wood mixed with the heady aroma of what must be a couple hundred pounds of homemade gingerbread.
It’s like that every year when the Gingerbread Extravaganza takes over the former chapel. The event is organized by the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville in collaboration with the Rotary Club of North Jacksonville and the Rotaract Club of Florida’s First Coast and it has more than one purpose.
It’s an opportunity for local culinary artists of all ages and abilities to show off their talent in creating a gingerbread house and compete for prizes. It’s also a chance for the public to enjoy what has become a holiday tradition. Perhaps most important it’s a way to raise funds for local charitable organizations and aid Rotary International’s campaign to eradicate polio from the world.
This year’s best design was selected by a panel of judges including pastry chef Michael Bump from Restaurant Orsay; Cinda Sherman, publisher of Arbus magazine; and Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens Director Hope McMath. It was baked and built by the Gifted Classes at San Mateo Elementary School and titled, “Santa Comes to the Big House, Kingsley Plantation.”
South Jacksonville Rotarian and chair of this year’s event R. Dean Scott said, “The judges admired the educational nature of this display and its tie-in with local history.”
In addition to the ticket-purchasing public, each year the Gingerbread Extravaganza is also enjoyed by about two dozen school groups who take field trips to see the decorative baked displays and learn about some of Jacksonville’s history when they tour Merrill House, which is next door to Old St. Andrews.
The Gingerbread Extravaganza is open Wednesday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through Dec. 23 as well as Dec. 21-22. It’s located at 317 A. Phillip Randolph Blvd., across the street from the Arena and a block north of the Baseball Grounds.
The admission donation is $5 for adults and $3 for children 3-16 years of age. A $10 “Polio Plus Ticket” donation includes admission to the Gingerbread Extravaganza and a $5 donation that will help Rotary and the World Health Organization eradicate polio globally.
In the past six years, the display has raised for than $500,000 for 30 local charities. Among this this year’s beneficiaries are Ronald McDonald House, HabiJax and the Jacksonville Historical Society.
This year’s winner was created by the Gifted Classes at San Mateo Elementary School.
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