New York’s sweetest winter tradition is back. Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off opens to the public on Friday, November 6, 2026, at the Museum of the City of New York, and stays on view through Monday, January 18, 2027.
Now in its fifth year, the exhibition invites professional and amateur bakers from all five boroughs to recreate the buildings, places and symbols of their own neighborhoods in gingerbread. The 2026 theme, “Iconic New York,” promises candy-lined streets and edible skyscrapers in a miniature city built entirely of spice, sugar and imagination.
A distinguished jury awards prizes across several categories, and visitors get a say, too: throughout the run, the public votes to crown the final People’s Choice winner. Each selected baker received a $500 stipend for materials, and the creations were installed in late October ahead of the opening.
The museum, at 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street and open daily, calls it a celebration of the city’s communities and neighborhoods with a sweet twist. For families, it is an easy holiday-season stop: one gallery where the whole city smells like Christmas.
Photo: Brad Farwell / Museum of the City of New York
