What to KnowThe Science of Gingerbread Gingerbread CompetitionDiscovery Cube OC in Santa Ana and Discovery Cube LA in SylmarBake a gingerbread creation, then take your goodie to Discovery Cube OC or Discovery Cube LAThe drop-off dates are Nov. 22-30 (both locations are closed Thanksgiving Day)The OC Awards Ceremony is Dec. 5, and the LA Awards Ceremony is Dec. 6The 2025 categories include Winter Holiday Themes, The Science of Sweet Creations, Global Traditions & Landmarks, and Eco-Inspired CreationsEntry categories: Junior, Teen, Adult, Small Group, Large GroupThe “chance to win prizes” is lovely, as is going for big honors in the world of gingerbread mastery

Which wintry spice do you reach for first when starting to line up your gingerbread-perfecting ingredients? Cinnamon, cloves, allspice, or nutmeg?

Or do you look to the jar of bright gumdrops in your pantry? The tubes of colorful icing? Or any of the cute candies that add rooftop flair, or window-whimsical detailing, to a house made of pure gingery deliciousness?

However you begin the process, you’ll want to gather your goodies soon, for the annual Gingerbread Competition at Discovery Cube OC and Discovery Cube LA is starting to sweetly simmer.

Billed as the “largest” showdown of gingerbread in Southern California, this annual competition offers home bakers four intriguing categories.

Those include Winter Holiday Themes, The Science of Sweet Creations, Global Traditions & Landmarks, and Eco-Inspired Creations, so get to thinking and/or dreaming about what area stokes your imagination.

The stretch for dropping off your gingerbread creation is almost here: You’ll take your house/building/UFO/you-name-it by Discovery Cube OC in Santa Ana or Discovery Cube LA in Sylmar from Nov. 22 through 30 (both educational museums are closed Thanksgiving Day, do keep in mind).

The awards will be presented in early December — Dec. 5 in OC and Dec. 6 in LA — and the entries will remain on view through early January, when entrants can swing by and pick up their creative confections.

The science-minded locations rightly suggest that both engineering and the enchantment of the holiday season play roles in the best gingerbread buildings, so look to both STEM, and your quirkiest notions, for inspiration.

Information about the age categories, and the categories devoted to both Small and Large Groups, are on the site, as well as deeper dives into the four areas bakers should draw inspiration from.

Need further inspo before you find your apron? Check out photos from past years on Instagram; odes to “Star Wars,” football fields, and favorite stores are some of the spectacular former entries.