Festive treats that were just too pretty to eat lined multiple tables recently.
Gingerbread works of art were on display for Innisfil’s fourth annual Simcoe County Gingerbread House Contest at the Lakeshore branch of the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library on Nov. 30.
"We had a wonderful day today at the Innisfil ideaLAB and library celebrating some amazing creativity and talent," said event chair Anne Kell. "Our judges definitely had their work cut out for them in choosing the winning gingerbread masterpieces."
Winners of multiple international baking contests, Beatriz Muller — the grand prize winner of the Food Network’s Gingerbread House Contest in 2018 — and Teresa Araujo — who won the Food Network’s The Big Bake in 2021 — returned as judges, joining Rotary Club of Innisfil's president, Ken Simpson and the Innisfil Arts, Culture and Heritage Council's chair, Sydney Hardie.
First- and second-place winners were announced in multiple categories:
Adult Hobbyist:
1st place: Gnome Family Tree House – Janet Heard
- Heard won a gift certificate for $750 for classes by Beatriz Muller; cookie stamps; candle/cheese board
2nd place: Santa’s Workshop Headquarters – Warren Letson
- Letson won a gift certificate for $250 for classes by Beatriz Muller; mugs; an oven mitt and a spatula
Adult Beginner:
1st place: The Haunted House – Jacquelaine Sanders-Franco
- Sanders-Franco won a blender & bag; an oven mitt and a cheese board
2nd place: Peek-a-boo Cottage – Jacquie Raaphorst
- Raaphorst won a Red Path bag, a candle, and an oven mitt
Team:
1st place: Around We Go – Sadler Family
- The Sadler family won a Kitchen Aid Mixer and a cheese board
Child Baker:
1st place: Santa’s Workshop – Sloan Gilchrist
- Gilchrist won a tin and gift basket/cheese board
2nd place: Gingerstruction Site – Odin McAlpine
- McAlpine won a gift basket
Youth Baker:
1st place: A Contemporary Christmas – Anne Bowman
- Bowman won a cookie sheet kit; spatulas; rolling pin; and a mug/cheese board
People's Choice:
Warren Letson (Santa's Workshop Headquarters)
- In addition to winning second place in the Adult Hobbyist category, Letson won an Innisfil ideaLAB & Library gift basket
Gingerbread House Kit Winners 2024
Child Kits:
1st place: Candy Cane Lane – Maya Manton
2nd place: The Sugar Ball Cottage – Fiona Giannoccaro
Youth Kits:
1st place: Anna’s G-Bread House – Anna McLean
2nd place: The Ginge House – Aaliyah and Beheshta Shour
In addition to a special gingerbread-theme story and a class for children to build their own gingerbread houses from kits, there was a bake sale and vendors in attendance.
“I feel very honoured to be here because this is such a fun community event,” said the owner of Patricia’s Studio, artist and illustrator, Patty Chu. She started her business 20 years ago. She has been a vendor at the Gingerbread House Contest three times.
“It was very fun and then I got to see all the people here and (it's) an adventure. They're all like good friends here,” she said of her fellow vendors.
“We see all the community people here and then kids having fun picking their Christmas gifts,” Chu said.
Linda Lyons and Liliane Misztal were selling crocheted and knitted items, such as headbands, drink mitts, and hand towels.
“We have a knitting group that's been coming to crochet every Friday in the library here,” Lyons said. She has been sewing for sixty years.
Misztal told InnisfilToday that the drink mitt is “a mitten that holds your drink, your coffee, your beer, your water (and it) keeps your hands warm.” She offers them in a variety of colours and said that it’s great for hunters and those who go ice fishing, when around a bonfire, and for parents when they are at the rink.
The Gingerbread House Contest is the first event that Misztal participated in as a vendor.
"The contest was a success, the community came out to participate and cheer on the winners," Simpson said. "Young and old were celebrated today. Thank you (to) all contestants and winners."
Learn more about the Rotary Club of Innisfil by checking out its website.
