The sights and smells of gingerbread houses will add even more charm and delight to the holiday activities in Apex this year. The Apex Rotary Club is hosting its first annual Gingerbread House Competition, and all the entries will be displayed throughout the town beginning Monday, December 9.
“Nothing like this has been done in Apex. I just thought that it would be fun,” said Karen Barlow, a gingerbread enthusiast and Rotary member who brought the idea to the club.
“All the members of our club know that I compete in the national gingerbread competition, so when I brought up the idea of starting a competition in conjunction with the parade this year, they were excited and the town was, too. For me, gingerbread is near and dear to my heart and [marks] the start of the holiday season. We just want to keep the spirit of the holiday going and spread that spirit throughout downtown by getting the downtown merchants involved.”
The contest judging will coincide with the town’s Saturday, December 7 holiday parade, which the Rotary organizes. Although the judging is not open to the public, all entries will be displayed at local businesses and town facilities for one week.
In conjunction with the contest and leading up to the 5 p.m. parade, the Rotary is hosting Gingerbread Lane from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Gingerbread Lane will feature booths (decorated to the theme) by participating businesses and include activities for children.
Lisa Raschke, the special events manager for the Town of Apex, said the gingerbread contest is a nice addition for the town, especially since other nearby towns have them.
“We’re definitely excited. This is the first one and it’s time for Apex to have its own gingerbread competition,” she said, adding it will be fun to see the houses on display. “Gingerbread houses are very whimsical, and they always bring a smile.”
The competition will have three categories: youth/child, teen and adult. From the expert culinary artists to the novices, all skill levels are welcome. People can compete as individuals or as part of a team. All entries will be judged based on the following: overall design and appearance, originality and creativity, use of color, precision and neatness, and consistency of theme.
Each age category will have a first, second and third place winner. First place winners will receive a cash prize ($100 for adult, $75 for teen and $50 for youth/child) plus a ribbon. Second and third place winners will receive a ribbon.
The excitement surrounding the competition and display is partly tied to the enchanting quality of gingerbread houses. These colorful and candy-covered designs draw people in, capturing their attention and imagination. This is certainly true for gingerbread artists like Barlow.
Barlow, a broker and agent with Envite Realty, dove deeper into working with gingerbread after years of making houses with her children.
“My background is in culinary arts, and I had my own catering business for four and half years. So, I was kind of in the food scene anyway. But, for me, making gingerbread houses with my kids during the holidays…it’s a symbol of the holidays…the lights, the decorations, you have to have a gingerbread house.”
Barlow’s love for building gingerbread houses led her to the Omni Grove Park Inn’s National Gingerbread House Competition, where she has competed for about 15 years. This event is universally considered the world’s preeminent competition of its kind.
Barlow’s gingerbread house mentor, Ann Bailey, is one of the judges for the Apex competition. Bailey, a Cary resident, is a nationally known gingerbread artist and a four-time grand champion of the Omni Grove Park Inn competition.
When asked about why people are so enchanted by gingerbread houses, Bailey pointed to a combination of holiday tradition and the fact that it’s an artistic expression.
“Gingerbread has become an art form. It’s just not little houses anymore,” she said, noting the designs can be anything a person can dream up and build.
In the gingerbread building world, and for the Apex competition, “structures” or “creations” are more accurate descriptions than “houses.” Gingerbread is the medium and what it’s used to make is only limited by creativity, building skill and contest rules.
“It’s part of the magic of Christmas,” said Bailey. “It’s just part of the whole package, really. And you’ve got to experience the gingerbread houses and the smells and the artistic work of people that can do things with something that’s edible.”
Lindsay Deibler, a.k.a. the Ginger Gingerbread Lady and another judge for the Apex competition, agrees.
“I think it makes people happy,” said the Winston-Salem resident. “There’s nothing sad about it. It’s fun. I think the smell of gingerbread brings back strong memories for people. And it’s just a symbol of the season whether they make it or not. I just think it makes people happy.”
Deibler, who has placed in the top ten at the Omni Grove Park Inn and competed on food competition television shows, also noted how making gingerbread houses taps into people’s creativity. Plus, it’s appealing to all ages, engages all skill levels, and can be made easily at home.
Gingerbread artist and former Apex resident Meghan Morris was excited to learn about the town’s competition. For the past few years, Morris and her mother, Esther, have built and donated a gingerbread creation, including a replica of the red caboose in downtown Apex, to the Halle Cultural Arts Center as part of the annual tree and wreath auction.
Morris believes finding hidden gems and seeing something unique sculpted out of gingerbread is part of the charm and interest associated with this holiday tradition.
“I think people are really drawn to the idea that it’s not just four walls,” she said. “It can be anything…People love all the little details that they can spot in them. They get up close to the window and they look inside and there’s something also inside the house and then they see another thing to explore about it. You keep discovering more and more elements, the longer you look at it.”
Morris, who now lives in Durham, started competing at the Omni Grove Park Inn as a teenager and has placed in the top ten in the adult and teen categories. She thinks people are fascinated with not only seeing a miniature gingerbread world or creation, but also the fact that it’s all edible.
Barlow pointed out that the Apex competition rules require that everything on the structure must be 100% edible, even if it’s not in its edible state. Uncooked pasta used for decorating and cinnamon sticks used as structural support are allowed, for example. What’s not allowed? Things like candy wrappers and paper lollipop sticks. The base is the only exception to the 100% edible rule.
Whether someone enjoys the contest as a competitor or simply an admirer of the entries, Barlow hopes the competition is well received and becomes an annual event drawing people of all ages and skills.
