Christmas on the Wharf and All Things Gingerbread Holiday Photo Contes

The holiday season is here and Fisherman’s Wharf Association is sharing up its fun holiday décor and more for everyone to enjoy and a free Photo Contest, too!

The majestic 30-foot Christmas Tree has been set up surrounded by brightly colored sea creatures that are especially beautiful when illuminated at night, including a sea otter, octopus, sea horses, dolphins and more. The Wharf will be adding lots more holiday decorations in the coming weeks.

The Wharf merchants will be decorating their businesses soon as well. So, take a stroll, a boat excursion, shop for great gifts for your friends and family at the Wharf gift stores and dine al fresco or order delicious food To Go/Curbside. It’s time to buy local and support our local businesses and take photos to capture wonderful memories.

About the All Things Gingerbread Holiday Photo Contest

Everyone is invited to take a photo during the month of December at Old Fisherman's Wharf holding anything involving gingerbread, such as a gingerbread cookie or fudge or other gingerbread food item, a gingerbread house, a gingerbread ornament, a toy, printed picture or any item with gingerbread to celebrate the holiday season.

Please include a one-sentence photo caption, your name, address, email and phone number.

Send your photo submission to info@montereywharf.com before December 31, 2020.

Please indicate in the email submission if the photo can be used on the Wharf’s social media with your photo credit (who took the photo and what it describes). The subject line of the email should state Wharf Gingerbread Photo Contest Entry.

There will be a total of 3 winners and the first-place winner will receive $100 in Wharf Dollars, the second-place winner will receive $50 in Wharf Dollars and third place winner will receive $25 in Wharf Dollars to be redeemed at any Wharf merchant. Winners will be notified by January 15, 2021.

The Wharf merchants will soon be offering some gingerbread items, starting with a delicious Gingerbread Man Fudge at Carousel Candies.

About the History of Gingerbread

Baking a recipe full of spice would remind our early American settlers of their homeland. As years passed, the recipes like gingerbread that passed down through generations were always baked for holidays, mostly Christmas.

The popularity of gingerbread during the holidays can also be attributed to the belief that spices heated you up in the winter! Queen Elizabeth I's retinue also included a royal gingerbread maker and she did a banquet where she had gingerbread men made to represent foreign dignitaries and people in her court.

If you're local to Monterey County and want to come to the Wharf to take a photo, take advantage of the 2-hour free parking (Mondays-Thursdays) for Monterey County locals with ID and the Locals Menus on the Wharf.

For more information about Whalefest Monterey, go to the Whalefest page on www.montereywharf.com or call (831) 238-0777.