See the winners of the National Gingerbread House Competition at the Omni Grove Park Inn

More than 200 people descended on the Omni Grove Park Inn in search of the coveted title of National Gingerbread House Competition Grand Champion.

Among the entries were a retro diner, a pirate ship, an Indonesian ritual house, a turtle carrying Santa Claus, Groot crafting his own gingerbread house, and numerous others.

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“This is my second year judging the gingerbread competition and just the sheer volume of creativity that comes through these doors is really incredible,” judge Ashleigh Shanti said. “Every year, I am incredibly wowed, again this is only my second year, and just seeing what people can imagine and how they think outside of the box and craft a gingerbread house through their own creative lense is amazing.”

Judges awarded the top three entries in the child, youth, teen, and adult categories, followed by the grand prize winner. The Difficult Dessert Devotees, an aunt and niece duo from North Carolina, won the title with their creation, “Christmas at the Tongkonan.”

Their reaction? “Shock,” said both Deborah Kinton and Faith An. “I just can’t believe it,” An added. This marked the duo’s third year entering the event.

“My personal favorite is the grand prize winner piece,” the Omni Grove Park Inn’s Isabel Miller told WSBTV.com’s Nelson Hicks. “That also took home the most unique ingredient award for their use of catgut dental sutures which are absorbable and therefore, edible.”

The competition introduced The Nicolas Lodge Awards last year, named in honor of the former head judge who passed away in 2022. These awards recognize the best use of color, the furthest-traveled competitor, the most innovative structure, and the most unique ingredient.

Competitors voted for the People’s Choice, Best in Show Award. “Rockin’ at the Diner” claimed the title.

The primary entry rule remains that creations must be 100% edible and at least 75% gingerbread.

“We’re always just curious and interested to see what the artists have come up with this year,” Debbie Spink said. “Every year, there’s something that wows us. It’s just amazing to see their creations. So, we want to keep coming year after year.”

Spink and her husband have made visiting the Omni Grove Park Inn a Christmas tradition, attending for nearly 20 years to admire the gingerbread house creations, have lunch, and savor the day.

“When you walk into the Omni Grove Park Inn during the holiday season, you are greeted by the sweet smell of gingerbread at every turn,” Miller said. “It’s coming from the Great Gingerbread House in the lobby to the houses all throughout the Inn. It’s a way for people to come celebrate the holidays and to really just enjoy the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Asheville.”

The historic hotel, with its 36-foot twin fireplaces, welcomes daily guests from Mondays through Thursdays and Sunday evenings to enjoy the gingerbread creations, 80 Christmas trees, and some time by the fire. Overnight guests can savor it all any day and time of the week.

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