Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Nothing marks the start of the holiday season around Asheville like the annual gingerbread house competition at the Grove Park Inn.
Here’s the Romantic Asheville write-up about the event:
For a real treat, see the amazing display of gingerbread houses at Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa in Asheville on November 19, 2008-January 11, 2009 on Mondays-Thursdays. Viewing of the entries to the National Gingerbread House Competition is free for non-guests of the hotel! Your only cost could be valet parking (which is worth the expense since most parking is in big parking garages and you can easily get turned around in the sprawling hotel). In addition to the gingerbread overload, see the beautiful holiday displays throughout and warm by the giant fireplaces in the grand lobby. If you are staying overnight or dining in one of Grove Parks restaurants, you may view gingerbread houses at anytime.
Contestants from across the country will bring their architectural masterpieces to The Grove Park Inn. Delight in the imagination shown in these sugar-and-spice creations, strolling through the competition is a sure way to be swept up in the holiday spirit. Want to enter?
The National Gingerbread House Competition awards ceremony takes place on Monday, November 17, 2008 at 5:00 PM and is open to the public at no charge for admission. Following the four hour competition, the resort’s visual design team will be spending the following days placing more than 325 entries in specially crafted holiday scenes.
The grand prize winning entry and selected other winners will be removed from the display during the week of December 18 as the resort transports them to New York City for its 11th straight appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
