Winners announced for Pittsburgh’s Gingerbread House Display and Competition, can vote for People’s Choice

Barbara Rothermel received a text message from her daughter Monica Gesk when she heard the City of Pittsburgh’s Gingerbread House Display and Competition was returning this year despite the pandemic.

“She told me she had the perfect idea,” said Rothermel of Peters. “She said ‘Mom, we have to make the Kangaroo ride from Kennywood for our gingerbread entry.’ I agreed. We love that ride in our family.”

Kennywood Park in West Mifflin announced the retirement of the Kangaroo earlier this month.

Rothermel recalled she and husband Matt Rothermel taking Gesk and her brothers, Steve Rothermel of Jefferson Hills and Sean Rothermel of Lawrenceville, to the park, and that was one of the first stops.

Grandchildren Adeline and Leah Gesk entered a house of their own in the competition. Three-month-old Anastasia Rothermel was there for moral support.

Sean Rothermel made the Kennywood sign.

Barbara Rothermel was happy the contest was still happening. She said the gingerbread people were bought cookies — Archway gingerbread men — and the rest of the gingerbread was cooked. They used Twizzlers licorice for the center spokes sticking up in the middle of the ride.

The wheels were mints.

Look for Rice Krispies treats, candy canes, crushed Oreos, cinnamon hearts and gum drops. The icing was homemade.

They made the gingerbread ahead of time for the cars and the track. It took them about eight hours to assemble.

They used Pocky sticks to go across the seats to represent the safety bar. The kangaroos on the side of the cars are made of fondant.

Her husband is a builder, and her daughter and son-in-law, Mike Gesk, are engineers. So every piece was measured with a ruler.

It doesn’t move, but maybe next year they will design an entry that will be mobile.

“We chose the Kangaroo because it’s a piece of Pittsburgh history,” said Barbara Rothermel, who has the creation sitting in her dining room.

Their entry received an honorable mention in the 18th annual event, which is being held virtually because of the pandemic.

Judges recognized 60 recipients in 16 categories based on creativity and construction made by individuals, families, organizations, students and chefs from throughout Western Pennsylvania.

Other winning entries include tributes to the show “Sesame Street” and movies including “Star Trek” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

“The City of Pittsburgh is proud to serve as the presenter of this popular holiday tradition, and we’re excited to design a new format that allows the display to take place in 2020,” said Brian Katze, manager of the City of Pittsburgh Office of Special Events in a statement.

Katze said new this year is an interactive element — the People’s Choice award — where people can view the gallery and vote for their favorite through Dec. 31. The winner will be announced in early January.

The People’s Choice award is open to any of the 180 entries, not just the winners.

“I have a feeling we will get some votes for the one that is called the ‘2020 Dumpster Fire,’ ” said Melissa Culberston, the city’s special events coordinator.

She said the family category was the toughest to judge because of the number of entries.

“I was impressed with the variety of entries,” Culbertson said. “The Pittsburgh landmarks like Market Square, Central Catholic High School and the Kangaroo are so fun to see. The detail and use of so many different materials was amazing. I thought it was a success, especially since we had to go virtual this year.”

The gallery can be viewed online through Jan. 8.

The Gingerbread House and Display and Competition launched in 2002 when Downtown hotels held a competition to benefit the Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund.

The competition has attracted thousands of entries displayed at PPG Place before moving to the City-County Building lobby in 2019.