Cookie Festival

Among all of the magical aspects of the Christmas season, nothing is quite as fun—and delicious—as the COOKIES! Children and their parents fill their kitchens with the wonderful
scent of baking cookies, along with clouds of flour, scatterings of sprinkles and sugar, and excited chatter about holiday plans. The tradition of cookie-baking links generations, as recipes are handed down over the years.
No one knows Christmas cookies like Santa Claus himself! As he makes his way around the world on his Christmas Eve run, he gets to sample a huge variety of cookies–which partially explains his jolly belly!
Now, with the help of Santa himself, Winterfest will be inviting professional and home bakers to whip up their best cookies for the first Winterfest Christmas Cookie Festival. Twenty of Santa’s
favorite chefs will be selected to offer their best cookies in a variety of categories, to be tasted by a judging panel. After the judging, adults and kids of all ages will have the chance to sample all the entries, and will choose their favorite for a “People’s Choice” award. Of course, Santa will choose his own favorite.
What a wonderful way to put the spotlight on the delightful tradition of Christmas cookies!
When: Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018. Judging will take place between noon and 1:30 pm, and the public will be admitted from 1:30 to 4:00 pm.
Where: “Christmas Courtyard” at the Escambia County Courthouse, 221 Palafox Street 

Categories of cookies: Chocolate Chip, Gingerbread, Cookie Cutter, Savory, Sugar, Best Decorated, Original Recipe

Cookies must be baked, and all ingredients must be posted at each tasting table. Each chef will supply 10 dozen cookies for the contest.
All Categories will have two “Christmas Best” winners — one each for professional and home bakers, for a total of 18 awards.
Entry fee for each Chef will be $25, and they will each be provided a skirted table for their tasting station. Fees will be waived for nonprofit organizations and schools. All Chef entry
dollars will go toward a “Santa’s Scholarship” of $500, which will be awarded on Christmas Eve by Santa to the writer of his favorite Christmas wish letter.

Entries in the home baker category will be vetted on September 1 by a judging panel led by Josh Davidson, who serves as Chef of the San Francisco School District.
All winning bakers will receive 2 tickets for the Winterfest Performance Trolley Tour on December 7, plus 4 tickets to ride the Winterfest Express mini-train. Winners will be announced
on December 1 at the 4:15 closing ceremony by Santa and his chief Elf, Emily Mixon.
Professional bakers will receive an award logo for their place of business and home bakers will receive an announcement sign.
Tickets for the participating public will be $20 for adults and $10 for children, which will entitle them to cookie tasting for the People’s Choice Award.