PORT TOWNSEND — The Kuzma family and their friends have notched a fourth win in four years by claiming first place in the Port Townsend annual gingerbread house contest with their “Merry (Christmas) Go Round” confection.
“We may take a break next year,” said Eric Kuzma.
Kuzma said the merry-go-round idea came from his daughter, 6-year-old Anora. Then, with help from his 3-year-old son, Cabett; wife, Holly; and friends Elsa and Imants Glotz and Judi Bird, the group pieced together the structure over the course of three days.
“It being complicated was inevitable,” said Kuzma, an architect and engineering service manager for the Jefferson County Department of Public Works.
The group received a $50 gift card to Elevated Ice Cream for the win.
Coming in second, and with the second largest entry, was a combined project from Edensaw Woods and Sound Experience. They built a gingerbread house of what they called their “world headquarters” on Seton Road in Port Townsend.
Their gingerbread creation came with gingerbread boats, trees and blue siding to match the real building.
Honorable mention from Saturday’s judging went to Heather Flanagan, who entered the competition on behalf of Power Trip Energy. Her environmentally-friendly home incorporated licorice solar panels on the roof, a hybrid car in the driveway and even a smiling sun hung from the ceiling.
However, her “Dreaming of a Green Christmas” entry suffered some structural issues with crumbling just before judging, according to Mari Mullen of the Port Townsend Main Street Program.
The Main Street Program took over the competition, which is traditionally held at Aldrich’s Market in Uptown, for the year.
Before this year’s contest, Aldrich’s announced it would close its doors for good, but since then, owner Milton Fukuda has confirmed he is in talks with an unidentified buyer.
“We’re so thankful that the owners opened the space up to us,” Mullen said.
According to Mullen, the competition is a favorite holiday tradition and it will be back at Aldrich’s, which is now planning to stay open, next year.
However, this year’s entries will still be on display until they are picked up Saturday at Flagship Landing on Water Street in Port Townsend.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
The honorable mention, an eco-friendly gingerbread house, from Power Trip Energy (Mari Mullen)
