Gingerbread Houses on Display!

Christmas time is typically filled with carols, parties, and lots (and lots) of sweet treats. There are some sweet treats that you only enjoy with your eyes and that would be the gingerbread houses of the National Gingerbread House Competition!
This year marked the 24th annual competition held at The Omni Grove Park Inn of Asheville, North Carolina. The inn, like each little gingerbread house, has its own story to tell. The Omni Grove Park Inn, then simply known as The Grove Park Inn, was built by the “Father of Modern Asheville”, E.W. Grove. Although completed in just one year and opening in July of 1913, the construction of the inn was no easy task. It required around 400 men who worked 10 hour days for 6 days a week to finish this mammoth task in such a short time period! Today, the inn continues to be one of the pristine resort hotels, not only in the Asheville area but worldwide. The hotel is also on the National Register of Historic Places so it is fitting they would invite guests to come view the gingerbread houses in this stunning structure.
The National Gingerbread House Competition has been featured by notables such as the Travel Channel, the Food Network and many more. This is a treat worth the drive to see! The winning houses are on display throughout the famous inn until January 5th, 2017. Although no charge to view the gingerbread creations, there is a $10 parking fee, with half being donated towards local charities.
To view even more of the entries, you may take a short drive to the historic Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville. Here, 20 additional gingerbread houses have been set up for display through the building. And what a building at that! Envisioned by E.W. Grove as well, this ornate retail center was a leading commercial building in Asheville during the 1930’s. The building was closed to the public during World War II as the Federal Government took over the property for official use. During the 1970’s there was rising public support to return the Arcade to its original use and the 1980’s began the extensive remodeling to the building. Late in 2002, the Grove Arcade re-opened to include restaurants, offices, shops and apartments.
For more information on the displays of the houses, you may call the “gingerbread hotline” at 800-413-5778 or click here.