A beloved Syracuse holiday tradition celebrates its 40 th anniversary beginning on Friday.

The Erie Canal Museum’s annual Gingerbread Gallery , which transforms the museum into a festive 19th-century streetscape, opens to the public on Friday, Nov. 21. The event runs through Sunday, Jan. 11.

Visitors of all ages can explore the colorful holiday displays seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The sweet tradition began in December 1986 when eight local bakeries provided gingerbread houses to create a nostalgic city scene of what Erie Canal-era downtown Syracuse might have looked like.

This year’s exhibit will display nearly 50 gingerbread creations crafted by both professional and home bakers from across Central New York. Themes include the Statue of Liberty and several designs

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