After a yearlong hiatus, the contest returned to Asheville with 235 entries from 25 states, spanning elaborate miniature villages, standout youth projects, and a few newly introduced awards.
Key Points
- The National Gingerbread Competition returned to The Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville after its 2024 cancellation, drawing 235 entrants.
- Adult grand-prize winner Mary Hilsman impressed judges with “The Tiny Gnome Builders,” a meticulously detailed miniature village inspired by a whimsical Pinterest cottage.
- New awards and standout youth winners showcased the competition’s range of talent, and visitors can view the full holiday display through January 4, 2026.
In November, gingerbread artists from across the country gathered at The Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa in Asheville, North Carolina, for the return of one of the nation’s most beloved holiday traditions. After the competition was canceled in 2024 due to Hurricane Helene, this year’s event carried special significance. “This year was so important as we wanted the country to know that Asheville was OK and rebuilding better than ever after Hurricane Helene,” says John Cook, executive pastry chef of The Omni. “To see our gingerbread family return as well as so many new competitors this year really made it special.”
Now in its third decade, the National Gingerbread House Competition drew 235 entrants — from ambitious hobbyists to seasoned pastry chefs — representing 25 states. And while the display cases brimmed with imaginative, candy-crusted scenes, it was a whimsical village of tiny, crooked homes that stole the show.
A winning world in miniature
Adult grand-prize winner Mary Hilsman of Concord, North Carolina, captured the judges’ attention with “The Tiny Gnome Builders,” a charming vignette where hardworking gnomes survey blueprints, plant gardens, and tend to their asymmetrical gingerbread houses. Each structure was meticulously decorated with shingled roofs, curling ivy, and perched birds, all rendered with striking delicacy.
Hilsman, who has no professional pastry training, describes her process as “trial and error” and credits much of her growth to four years of learning from other gingerbread artists. The sense of community, she says, is transformative…