The City of Pittsburgh’s 21st Annual Gingerbread Display and Competition, now officially opened for the holiday season, is pleased to announce this year’s winners.
After over 300 entries from schools, families, professionals, and neighbors were received for this year’s competition, a panel of judges selected their top choices. Unique creations were plentiful, while Pittsburgh landmarks, icons, and the year in pop culture were once again captured in the contest’s entries, including Acrisure Stadium, Barbie, and Taylor Swift.
In addition to the 19 category awards, this year included the inaugural selection for the Curator’s Choice, a pick from one of Carnegie Museum of Art’s own curators, and the Audacy Award, a special pick of local radio stations.
Rachel Delphia, Alan G., and Jane A. Lehman Curator of Decorative Arts and Design, selected Tom and Mary Wagner’s entry “Log Cabin” as the first ever Curator’s Choice. “This log home looks plucked right out of 19th century Pennsylvania landscape,” said Delphia. “With a chimney that would impress a mason, the details in this simple concept were beautifully executed.”
Audacy radio station staff were polled on their favorites, ultimately designating “The Woodland Whimsy House” from the Spegar family as the recipient of this year’s Audacy Award.
This year’s entries will remain on display through January 5, 2023, in the grand lobby of the historic City-County Building. Visitors are able to view the display on weekdays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and on weekends from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Holiday closures will occur on November 23-24, December 24-25, 2023, and January 1, 2024. Those unable to attend in person can visit www.pittsburghpa.gov/gingerbread to view the online gallery, where voting is currently taking place for the 2023 People’s Choice Award, a chance for any viewer to vote for their favorite entry of the year. People’s Choice voting will conclude on December 31, with a winner to be announced shortly after the new year.
The Gingerbread House Display and Competition began in 2002 when Downtown Pittsburgh hotels hosted the event to benefit the Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund and since has attracted thousands of entries and visitors to PPG Place before moving to the City-County Building in 2019. The 2022 Gingerbread House Display and Competition is presented by the City of Pittsburgh Office of Special Events in media partnership with KDKA Radio, 100.7 Star, Y108, WAMO 107.3, and 93.7 The Fan.
For more information on this event, please email gingerbread@pittsburghpa.gov or by calling 412-255-2493.
The 2023 winners, by category, are:
| Adult 18+ | ||
| First | Forest Frog Sanctuary | Brie Losego |
| Second | Christmas Cup of Joyful Cheer | L. Joseph |
| Third | The Snowman Winter Palace | Meghan Kokoski |
| HM | Victorian Christmas | Lizzy Werner |
| Children 14-17 | ||
| First | Santa’s Greenhouse | Sidney Rice |
| Second | Christmas Castle | Carrie Betten |
| Third | Lover House (Taylor’s Version) | Hadley Johnston |
| HM | Steelers Gingerbread House | Maeve Mannion |
| | | |
| | Children 10-13 | |
| First | Prancer the Christmas Piñata | Francesca Crea |
| Second | A Whomping Wonderland | Jack Gallacher |
| Third | Not A Creature Was Stirring… | Roxie Fink |
| HM | Bye, Buddy! I Hope You Find Your Dad | Michael Mannion |
| Children 6-9 | ||
| First | Dev’s Funhouse | Devon McMullen |
| Second | The Christmas ‘Cracker | Finn Gallacher |
| Third | North Pole Sweet Shop | Maille Mannion |
| HM | Lego Lane | Cousin Crew |
| Children 5 & Under | ||
| First | Merry Little Lighthouse | Jack Coogan |
| Second | Spider-Man Christmas | Hunter Coogan |
| Third | Baby Shark | The Goddard School |
| HM | Candyland | The Goddard School |
| Non-Profit 18+ | ||
| First | Children Are the Heart of the Home | Adoption Connection PA |
| Second | The Bayanihan Spirit | Filipino American Association |
| Third | Community-Led Affordable Housing | City of Bridges Community Land Trust |
| HM | Living Our Best Life as a Yinzer | Norbert Personal Care Home |
| Non-Profit 14-17 | ||
| First | Christmas Magic | AGH PA1273 Pioneers/Patriots (Zelienople) |
| Second | Gingerbread Treehouse Escape | Girl Scout Troop 57016 (Upper St. Clair) |
| Third | Girl Scout Dream House | Girl Scout Troop 52418 (West View) |
| | Non-Profit 10-13 | |
| First | Licorice Lane | Girl Scout Troop 16178 (Freeport/Highlands) |
| Second | Camp S’more | Girl Scout Troop 52491 |
| Third | Santa’s Tropical Getaway | AHG PA1273 Explorers (Zelienople) |
| HM | Peppermint Paradise | Girl Scout Troop 16178 (Freeport/Highlands) |
| | | |
| Family | ||
| First | The Woodland Whimsy House | The Spegar Family |
| Second | It’s a Small ‘Burgh After All | The Brady-Gallacher Family |
| Third | Gnome for the Holidays | Lucy and Daisy Tappe |
| HM | Winter Whimsy | The Bell Family |
| City Neighborhoods | ||
| First | DLA + | DLA+ |
| Second | Christmas on Carson | South Side Community Council |
| Third | A Very South Side | South Side Kids |
| City Departments & Authorities | ||
| First | Christmas in Downtown | Department of City Planning |
| Second | South Side Market House H.A.L. | South Side H.A.L. Center |
| Third | Beechview Senior Barn | Beechview Senior Barn |
| HM | Safety in the Gingerbread Environment | Department of Permits, Licenses, & Inspections |
| High School | ||
| First | Rapunzel’s Tower | Blackhawk High School Sculpture Class |
| Second | Christmas Camper | Mercer Area High School (Natalie, Emily, Macey, Taylor) |
| Third | Prickly Present | Mercer Area High School (Logan, Sunni & Rose |
| HM | Dr. Doofenshmirtz Tower | North Allegheny Sr. High Architecture Club |
| Middle School | ||
| First | Barbie Dreamhouse | Pathfinder School |
| Second | SVMS Presents Homestead Works | Steel Valley Middle School Student Government |
| Third | Barbie Dreamhouse | Moon Middle School Life Skills – Finn |
| HM | North Pole Express | Yough Intermediate Middle School |
| | | |
| Elementary School | ||
| First | Super Castle | Greenfield School Autistic Support (K-2, 3-5) |
| Second | Soccer Stars | Wyatt Frank |
| Third | KAUE1 | Kiski Area Upper Elementary |
| HM | Christmas at Snoopy’s | Yough Intermediate Middle School |
| | | |
| Preschool & Kindergarten | ||
| First | Candy Cane Wonderland | Explorer Classroom |
| Second | Winter Holiday | Allie Alligator Learning Center |
| Third | Submarine Wonderland | Carnegie Science Center & PPS |
| HM | Christmas Building Blocks | Mrs. R’s Preschool Class |
| Professional | ||
| First | It’s Christmas Time | Mary Jo Dowling |
| Second | Untitled | Sheila Lucas & Heather Farren-McKelvy |
| Third | The Candy Lodge | Common Plea Catering |
| HM | The Chalet | SugarMama Cakes |
| Culinary | ||
| First | Comet’s Cabin | Springdale High School Culinary Arts |
| Second | Reindeer Games | Karen Marie Lindow |
