Museum of the City of New York Celebrates Five Years of Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off

Press Preview and Awards Ceremony: Monday, November 2, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Public Dates: Friday, November 6, 2026, through Monday, January 18, 2027 

NEW YORK, NY (October 6, 2026) — The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) marks the fifth year of its holiday tradition, Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off, opening to the public on Friday, November 6, 2026. The seasonal exhibition invites professional and amateur bakers from across the five boroughs to submit edible creations that celebrate the city's iconic places, buildings, and spirit, rendered entirely in gingerbread.

This year's theme, "Iconic New York," invites participants to reimagine a building, place, or thing that represents the heart of their neighborhood, community, or borough. From brownstones and bridges to bodegas and ballparks, no symbol of New York is too big, or too sweet, to tackle.

A panel of distinguished judges, including Magnolia Bakery's Bobbie Lloyd, restaurateur Melba Wilson, Amy Scherber of Amy's Bread, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Nadine Orenstein, will review the final gingerbread displays and award prizes in multiple categories. Museum visitors will help crown the "People's Choice" winner by casting votes during the run of the exhibition.

"Over five years, bakers have built the Dakota, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, the street from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and a coffee and a bagel. That range is the point. New Yorkers find their city in its landmarks and its literature, and just as surely in the breakfast they carry to work. This exhibition puts all of it on equal footing, which is how the people who live here actually experience New York," said Jerry Gallagher, Chief Operating Officer at MCNY. 

Press Contact: Chris Gorman, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs, Museum of the City of New York
pressoffice@mcny.org | 917.492.3482 

About the Museum of the City of New York

The Museum of the City of New York explores the people, places, and ideas that shape New York’s iconic character. We invite New Yorkers and visitors alike to discover their place in the city’s evolving story.

The Museum is located at 1220 Fifth Avenue. Public hours are Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. MCNY is pay-what-you wish for New Yorkers, and free to those under 18. The Museum is free to all visitors on Wednesdays. 

Featured Image: Photo by Brad Farwell