Although best known as the premier venue for local entertainment, the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor truly shines at Christmas.

Each December, the Opera House’s glorious yuletide decorations during the Festival of Trees, Dough Ball, Gingerbread Spectacular and community Christmas sing-along make downtown Boothbay Harbor a favorite destination for both locals and visitors alike.

The Opera House’s annual Gingerbread Spectacular provides an artistic venue and community event like no other. On Saturday, Dec. 14, a steady stream of visitors braved the cold to view this year’s ginger offerings, sip cocoa and be uniquely entertained. On display were over 30 mouth-watering, eye-pleasing gingerbread creations that offered something for both the naughty and the nice.

Along with classic gingerbread houses in all sizes and shapes, this year, there were also several, highly entertaining non-traditional offerings: a San Francisco-themed creation complete with cable car and Golden Gate Bridge, a gingerbread demolition derby, gingerbread rockettes, ginger-firefighters battling a gingerbread house ablaze, gingerbread tributes to Doctor Who and the Hunger Games, and very naughty gingerbread men hazing.

Judges for this year’s Gingerbread Spectacular were professional gardeners Doug Fraher and Trish Monroe, builder Dick Perkins, Southport Code Enforcement Officer Jim Gagnon, chef extraordinaire Laura Francis and retired headmaster Brad Hastings, who was no doubt unruffled by the Gingerbread Swirlies.

With so many great entries, Monroe said theirs was no easy task.

“It was actually a lot harder than we thought,” Monroe said. “There were so many good ones, we had to do some compromising. It was obvious to me that I was the only judge who understands OCD. I thought the penguins on vacation with all the little marshmallows lined up fit the bill. Oh well, I was overruled.”

The 7th annual Gingerbread Spectacular winners

Most Spectacular: Rainbow Cottage by Caitlin Brackett

Largest: Boothbay Register Comes Alive at the Dough Ball by Mike Marr and the Boothbay Register Staff

Best Traditional Gingerbread House Design, Adult: Peppermint Porch by Susan Sato, Meghan Wakefield and Ellie Sato

Best Traditional Gingerbread House Design, Youth: Candy House by Madison Connelly

Almost the Most Spectacular: Shaky Town by Matt Hurley

Best Landscaping: Imaginary Temple by Susan Brackett

Most Ingredients Used: Holiday Re-Treat by Ashlea Andrews and Dalton Tibbetts

Best Holiday Spirit: Christmas in the Woods by Michaela Marden

Best Holiday Spirit, Youth: Dashing Through the Snow by Tabitha and Deakon Harrington

Best Representation of a Local Landmark: Remembering the Bounty by Sheila Wiken

Most Hilarious: Gingerbread House Swirlies by Two Naughty Elves

Most Hilarious, Youth: Three Little Pigs by Ellie and Debbie Hilscher

Most Appetizing, Adult: Deep Dark Forest and the Witch’s Cottage by Pandy Dickinson

Most Appetizing, Youth: Grandma Baby Brother and Addie by Addie Barter

Best Attempt: Unfinished Business by Doug Fowle

The Merriest: Carly’s Carousel by Carly Crewell

Most Creative: The TARDIS of Doctor Who

Most Obsessive Compulsive: 75th Annual Hunger Games by Compass Rose

To see the rest of the spectacular gingerbread creations, click here.