The smell of warm gingerbread evokes memories of Christmas and holidays. During this season, many love to decorate gingerbread houses. Imagine if you could design one that earned $25,000?
The Competition
The National Gingerbread House Competition does just that. Held annually at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, we were fortunate to see it on the way home from snow skiing at Beech Mountain in early January.
It’s definitely one of those events that you have to see in person to take in all the details and workmanship. With close to 200 entries, I wished I had more time with each one.
We started in the Vanderbilt Wing where the gingerbread displays filled two levels. Not every display is a house. Creators made scenes of animals, clocks, department stores, boats, teacups – you name it. The main requirement is that each consist of at least 75% gingerbread. Everything else, including the adhesives, must be edible.
The competition has been held since 1992. Although starting small, it now attracts entries nationwide.
We walked through the historic hotel’s massive lobby to the Sammons Wing where we saw the top 10 winners in both the adult and teen categories.
The hotel decorations boasted large Christmas trees between the exhibit tables. With a view overlooking the grand terrace, sunlight filled the space.
The Hotel
Although our time to linger was up, we did manage to enjoy walking around the lobby and grounds. Reminiscent of a National Park Lodge, Edwin Wiley Grove built the hotel in 1913 on Sunset Mountain. Since then, its guest list boasts a wide range of celebrities, industry tycoons and politicians including ten US Presidents.
When our children were babies, we stayed here with my family for a summer weekend. Since that time, Omni purchased the hotel and details the hotel’s past with photos and memorabilia on the walls. Fortunately, they’ve also kept the things that drew us here in the first place – the stone fireplace, beautiful terrace and the rocking chairs on the front porch.
Typically only visitors of the hotel can view the Gingerbread House Exhibit on the weekends and holidays. Check the schedule before you plan a trip. Click here for more information about The Grove Park Inn and the National Gingerbread House Competition.
