Artists’ Exchange will hold its 13th annual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest Saturday, Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Artists’ Exchange, at 50 Rolfe Square in Cranston.

How does it work?

Participants start with a simple graham cracker construction and craft it into a work of art. There are heaping supplies of frosting, cereal, pretzels and, of course, an array of colorful candy to decorate your dream candy home. And with no age limit, everyone is invited to join in on the fun!

"The Gingerbread Decorating Contest is a family tradition for so many families in the neighborhood, not just for the staff and students, but the community as well. It is exciting to see families return year after year and watch how the children and the event have grown. This is my 11th year working to organize the event and every year is more fun than the last,” says Shannon Casey, the event’s coordinator and Director of Visual Arts Programming at Artists' Exchange. Casey said attendance grows every year, so she and the staff are gearing up for a big crowd. Construction on the houses has already begun, and with the help of volunteers, Artists’ Exchange plans to have at least 600 houses by the week before the event. This year they have added school field trips the week after the event and will need an additional 400 houses. “It’s a lot of work to prepare for, but it’s absolutely worth it!” The studios will then be transformed into a holiday wonderland, creating an atmosphere designed to inspire childlike wonder and creativity.

Participants are able to take their houses home that day, they are invited to submit their creations for judging in their corresponding age category. Families can also opt to work on a house together and be judged in a separate family category. This year there will be a special guest appearance from Santa Claus himself to help judge some of the entries. Houses entering the contest will be photographed and the winners will be announced online by Monday, December 4th. Prizes include Artists’ Exchange class gift certificates towards classes in the upcoming winter session. The cost is $15 a house and $13 in advance (online only waive the fee with the code GBRD17.)