Community Youth Development (CYD) is holding its 7th annual Gingerbread Festival at the Westfield Sarasota Square on Friday, December 11th – Sunday, December 13th. More than 150 gingerbread houses made by youth groups, community organizations, and local businesses will be on display for the three-day festival. The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is submitting a house and will have a booth at the festival to share information on the importance of early literacy. 

Children attending the festival will receive a free book from the Suncoast Campaign booth when their parents learn more about the Campaign or download Vroom, a free mobile app that provides downloadable daily activity tips for parents with children aged from birth to five. Vroom translates groundbreaking science into everyday language that encourages back and forth interaction between parents and their children.