Sep
Billington’s Gingerbread is delighted to once again be part of the Ginger & Spice Festival in Market Drayton on Saturday 26th September 2026.
As a heritage biscuit with roots in the town’s famous gingerbread-making tradition, Billington’s Gingerbread is proud to support this much-loved celebration of local history, food and community. Alongside this, our sister company, Original Biscuit Bakers, returns as headline sponsor of the Heritage Gingerbread Trail & Contest, one of the festival’s most popular family attractions.
Taking place from 9.30am to 4.30pm on Saturday 26th September 2026, the free trail will feature imaginative gingerbread characters displayed in more than 40 local businesses and organisations across Market Drayton. This year’s theme, “No.1 Hit from a Chart-Topping Solo Artist”, promises a colourful and creative showcase, with visitors invited to follow the trail and vote for their favourite display.
The character receiving the most public votes will win the People’s Choice Award, with a runner-up also recognised. A further winner and runner-up will be selected by the Mayor of Market Drayton, Councillor Tim Manton.
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.
Original Biscuit Bakers will also be bringing a stall to the Spicy Market, offering their hand-iced gingerbread biscuits and sugar cookie creations, alongside award-winning heritage biscuit, Billington’s Gingerbread.
Throughout the day, visitors can enjoy free gingerbread decorating activities in the Original Biscuit Bakers children’s crafting area on Queen Street, giving young festival-goers the opportunity to get creative and decorate their own gingerbread treats.
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.
Click me!Jane 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.”
