“Incredible!”

“How do they come up with these ideas?”

“Wow – unbelievable!”

Comments like these were overheard throughout the Opera House Friday, Dec. 13, at the Dough Ball and awards, and during the Gingerbread Spectacular, Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15 by those checking out the 2019 Gingerbread Spectacular Collection.

Every year, the entries become more intricate. Every year, this community is in awe of the imaginative gingerbread ideas and excellent construction skills friends and neighbors deliver.

Judging this year’s entries were Brenda Blackman, Susan Brackett, Shawna Kurr, Kathryn Sullivan and John Webster. Blackman said the judging was “very hard.”

Past judges know all too well what Blackman meant, including former judge Cathy Sherrill, also the executive director at the grand old venue.

“You ask yourself where do I begin? They are all so well done,” Sherrill said. “The details in the Down on the Farm gingerbread – the animals in the barn were all hand cut, no cookie cutters, and the sheep outside were so funny … When we first started the Gingerbread Spectacular everything had to be edible … but over the last few years we’re not so strict about that, but that doesn’t mean we want frosted cardboard boxes, Sherrill said with a chuckle.

At the Friday night Dough Ball, Barney Balch and other members of the Novel Jazz Septet played jazzy holiday tunes and straight up jazz. Betty, in a gown, and Ted Repa, in a tux, joined the band as they danced the night away and were a delight to watch. On Saturday, Boothbay Region Community Band presented its holiday concert.

And now, without further ado, here are the 11th annual Gingerbread Spectacular award winners:

Most Spectacular - “Gingerbread Skate-tacular” by Sam Michael/Sam’s Electric and Mike Regino; Almost Most Spectacular & the People’s Choice - “No Flight Zone” by Adaline Barter and Nancy Stoddard; Most Hilarious - “Nailed It!” by Rimar Reed; Largest: “Down on the Farm” by Meghan and Leslie Kalisz and Jeanne Emerson; Best Landscaping - “For the Birds” by Matt Hurley; Best Holiday Spirit - “Bumble’s Big Moment” by Katie Russell; Best Traditional Gingerbread House - “Santa’s Workshop” by Carla Warren; Most Creative – “Crazy Cat Lady Christmas” by Martha Cowdery; Best Representation of A Local Landmark - “Sprucewold at First Snow” by Karen Reilley; Best Youth Entry - “Winter Wonderland” by Pauline Nadeau-Miller; and Best Attempt/Chief Justice’s Award - “St. Andrew’s Village Ark.” Additional awards the judges created in response to two entries: The All Round Award - “Death Star” by Devon Hubner and the Literature and Sugar Award for Marge Kilkelly’s “Underneath BBH.”