Gingerbread: Festival benefits children's organizations

LEHI — One winter, folk artist Eric Dowdle took his venturing team skiing. That day ended in disaster for him as he ended up being carried off the mountain with two broken legs.

While recovering, Dowdle decorated sugar cookies with his children, and when he dropped a gingerbread man cookie on the floor, both of its legs broke off.

He picked up the cookie, stuck the legs back on and decorated over it. When he was finished, no one could tell that the cookie had ever been broken.

Dowdle wondered how many people are like the cookie: broken inside but no one knows it.

That's why he started the Gingerbread House Festival in November 1999. He wanted to help keep people, particularly children, from breaking.

Since that time the festival — which features beautifully crafted handmade gingerbread houses and even castles — has funded numerous worthwhile programs and continues to serve and protect Utah's children today.

This year proceeds from the festival will benefit Learning for Life, which provides programs that are designed to support Utah K-12 schools and other youth-serving organizations, and the Utah PTA Arts Education Fund, which endeavors to ensure children's access to dance, music, theater and visual arts in Utah public schools and the Boy Scouts of America.

The festival includes local entertainment — Amy Allred, Heather Richey, the Oak Canyon Jazz band, Fire on the Mountain, Singers Unlimited and the C&C Dancers — a country store, baked goods and holiday treats as well as hundreds of donated gingerbread creations.

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If you go . . .

What: Gingerbread House Festival

When: 1-9 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7-10

Where: Show Barn, Thanksgiving Point in Lehi

Cost: $3.50 adult/$2.50 children, $12/family