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The Original Biscuit Bakers headline Heritage Gingerbread Trail Contest at Ginger & Spice Festival 2026
We are delighted to be returning as a headline sponsor of this year’s Heritage Gingerbread Trail & Contest, taking place on Saturday 26th September 2026 as part of the Ginger & Spice Festival in Market Drayton.
Running from 9.30am to 4.30pm, the family-friendly trail and competition will wind through the town centre, celebrating Market Drayton’s gingerbread-making heritage. A much-loved highlight of the festival, the trail will feature imaginative gingerbread creations displayed in over 40 local businesses, many of whom are also proud sponsors of the event.
The Original Biscuit Bakers Heritage Gingerbread Trail & Contest is a free, family-friendly event forming part of the Ginger & Spice Festival 2026. Designed to celebrate Market Drayton’s rich culinary heritage, the trail invites festival-goers to explore local shops, attractions and historic sites throughout the town and judge their favourite character.
Each participating business or organisation will showcase a specially dressed gingerbread character in their window or premises, themed around “No.1 Hit from a Chart-Topping Solo Artist”, with displays appearing ahead of the festival date. Families are encouraged to follow the trail, discover all the gingerbread characters and vote for their favourite display.
The character with the most public votes will win the People’s Choice Award, with a runner-up also recognised. An additional winner and runner-up will be chosen by the Mayor of Market Drayton, Councillor Tim Manton, ensuring a fun and fair celebration for all businesses and organisations taking part.
To incentivise voting participation from the general public, a FREE prize draw will take place at the festival for all those who complete the trail form in full and correctly. There will be one winner and one runner up picked. The Winners will be announced after the festival, week commencing 28th September 2026. If chosen, the voting participants could win the following: A children’s gingerbread hamper.
Alongside sponsoring the trail, Original Biscuit Bakers we will be bringing a stall to the Spicy Market featuring our delicious hand-iced gingerbread biscuits, sugar cookie creations and award-winning heritage biscuit, Billington’s Gingerbread. We will also be hosting free gingerbread decorating in the Original Biscuit Bakers children’s crafting area on Queen Street throughout the day.
Gemma Williams, Managing Director of Original Biscuit Bakers, said:
“We’re delighted to support the Ginger & Spice Festival once again and to play a part in celebrating everything that makes Market Drayton so special. Sponsoring the Heritage Gingerbread Trail is a wonderful opportunity to help bring the town’s rich heritage to life and create a memorable experience for visitors of all ages.
As a local manufacturer, we’re especially proud to support an event that celebrates the food heritage, craftsmanship and community spirit at the heart of Market Drayton. The Heritage Trail continues to be one of the highlights of the festival, combining fascinating local stories, great food and interactive experiences that showcase the town’s unique character. As the festival celebrates its 10th anniversary, it’s fantastic to see it continue to grow, attracting visitors from across the region while celebrating the town’s proud culinary heritage.”
Julia Roberts, Festival Director of the Ginger & Spice Festival, said:
“We’re thrilled to welcome back the Original Biscuit Bakers as the headline sponsor of our much-loved Heritage Gingerbread Trail. Their continued support helps us celebrate Market Drayton’s unique gingerbread while creating a much-loved attraction for families and visitors. As we celebrate the festival’s 10th anniversary, we’re also incredibly grateful for their support of the children’s crafting area – this year taking place on Queen Street – enabling us to offer free creative activities for the community to enjoy.”
Gingerbread Heritage Trail Maps can be picked up from the trail station on the high street being run by volunteers Jane Moore and Julie Pryce from 9.30am on Saturday 26th September. They will also be displaying their collection of Gingerbread memorabilia that they have collected over the years.
View trail sponsorsJane Moore and Julie Pryce said:
“We’re delighted to once again be running the Gingerbread Heritage Trail at this year’s Ginger & Spice Festival. It’s always such a joy to see so many families taking part, with children spotting the wonderful gingerbread characters in shop and business windows right across our lovely town. The whole community gets involved, which makes the trail really special. We also look forward to sharing our growing collection of Market Drayton gingerbread memorabilia on our stall – it’s a tradition we’re proud to celebrate as an important part of our town’s heritage.”
