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Cary baker among winners in National Gingerbread House Competition

Grier Rubeling's entry "Gingerbread Nutcrackers" was awarded second place in the adult category, behind "Christmas 'Round the World," a carousel-themed entry from The merry Mischief Bakers in Phoneix, Ariz.

Posted Updated

By
Kathy Hanrahan
, WRAL lifestyle editor
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A Cary baker has placed second in the National Gingerbread House Competition held annually at The Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville.

Grier Rubeling's entry “Gingerbread Nutcrackers” was awarded second place in the adult category, behind "Christmas 'Round the World," a carousel-themed entry from The Merry Mischief Bakers in Phoneix, Ariz.

National Gingerbread House Competition Grand Prize Winner, Adult: The Merry Mischief Bakers, “Christmas ‘Round the World” – Phoenix, AZ 

(Michael Oppenheim Photography)​

The third place winner was "A Spin on Christmas" from Bill and Cheryl Filion in Medina, Ohio.

Other North Carolina winners this year include Abigail Woerner of Concord, who placed third in the teen category; Asheville's Lolajay Wilson who won the youth (ages 9-12) category, and BMP Smart Cookies in Black Mountain, placed third in the child (ages 5-8) category.

More than 120 designs were entered this year from bakers around the country. They were competing for $25,000 in cash and prizes.

The competition returned to an in-person event this year, after going virtual in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A panel of judges, including celebrity chef and TV host Carla Hall and Metropolitan Museum of Art department of drawings and prints curator Nadine Orenstein, helped select the winners.

Entries were judged on overall appearance, creativity, difficulty, precision and consistency of theme. Each entry was required to be 75 percent gingerbread and 100 percent edible.

National Gingerbread House Competition​Adult Adult Second Place winner: Grier Rubeling, “Gingerbread Nutcrackers” – Cary, NC
(Michael Oppenheim Photography)​
Guests can view the displays in person from Nov. 28 through Jan. 2, after 3 p.m. on Sundays and anytime Monday through Thursday to visitors of the property. Hotel guests will be able to view the displays at any time during their stay. A $25 self-park fee will be charged for drive-on, day guests of the property. A portion of the proceeds will go to a variety of local nonprofit organizations.

Grove Park's Holiday Parking Program has helped raise more than $575,000 for area nonprofits since its inception in 2013.

Grove Park will be celebrating one winner per day from Dec. 1 through 12 on its social media channels.

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