A popular annual sweet-tooth event in Great Bend will go on this Saturday, but precautionary measures will be in place to help provide a safe experience for shoppers. 

More than 20 businesses are involved in the 12th Annual Great Bend Cookie Contest. This year’s cookies will be wrapped in separate cookie sleeves, or they will be served individually with tongs by a store representative.  

The Great Bend Cookie Contest will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in conjunction with Small Business Saturday. The contest allows people to sample cookies from 21 participating business locations, and vote for the best cookies in town.

A donation of $5 is suggested for all participating judges. The collected proceeds go to the Food Bank of Barton County to help feed those in need during the holiday season and beyond. 

To vote for your favorite cookie, stop by Cookie Headquarters on Saturday at Rosewood Furniture Gallery, 16th and Main in downtown Great Bend, to pick up a cookie box and voting bracelet. All votes to be counted must be returned to Cookie Headquarters by 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Besides getting to tame their sweet tooth and having a say in retail cookie bragging rights, Cookie Contest judges have a chance to win prizes during drawings that will take place at approximately 5 p.m. Saturday. Due to cancelation of Great Bend’s “Home For The Holidays Parade,” prize drawings will be held via live video at facebook.com/RosewoodFurnitureGallery. The winner of the Great Bend Cookie Contest will also be announced via Facebook Live during that time.  

Businesses participating in this year’s Great Bend Cookie Contest are Rosewood Furniture Gallery (Cookie Headquarters), 10th Avenue Boutique, A440 Musical Instruments, Bling, Buckle, Dilly & Doc Creative Studio, Doan’s Outdoor Store, Forever Young (Kids Resale), Great Bend Coffee, Heart of Kansas/Ms. Pretty Pickles, Kustom Floor Designs, Poppy Petals Boutique, Perfectly Paisley Boutique, Rana Luna Boutique, Renue Salon and Spa, RePerks Coffee Shop, Rosewood Bargain Barn, Rosewood Wine Cellar, Sweet Dreams Candy Shop, That Hipster Place/BBE Signs, and The Wright Place Downtown Flea Market.