Pine trees made from inverted waffle cones rose from a snowy gingerbread clearing. Aliens dotted the scene. Lodged squarely in the roof of a modest gingerbread house sat a flying saucer, capped with a clear sugar dome that revealed its tiny pilots inside.
The display was among many entries in this year’s Vashon Center for the Arts holiday gingerbread competition, where 745 ballots were cast.
Now in its sixth year, the annual contest drew 16 edible creations to VCA, where they were displayed from Dec. 4–19. Islanders voted throughout the month for their favorites across several categories, including Best Vashon Landmark, Most Traditional Gingerbread House, Best Youth Design and Best in Show.
All entries were required to be completely edible and built on a sturdy base. Winners were announced Friday, Dec. 19.
The Wilkes family won Best Vashon Landmark for “Point Robinson Lighthouse in the snow.”
Chastity Medlock won Most Traditional for “The Starry House.”
Catherine Graeb won Best Youth for “Duck Box.”
Best in Show was awarded to Dianne Kerwin, Michael Graeb and Catherine Graeb for “Nutcracker.”
Among the entries was an intergalactic scene created by Garrett Dorr, 14, an eighth-grade student at Harbor School, with help from his father, Russell Dorr.
The display depicts a flying saucer embedded in the roof of a gingerbread house, surrounded by small alien figures positioned across the scene.
The roof is covered with shredded wheat, torn by hand to create a thatched effect. The saucer is built around a Rice Krispies structure and wrapped in fondant, with the sugar dome forming the cockpit.
The gingerbread scene was inspired by a recent Beachcomber story about the Maury Island Incident, a 1947 UFO mystery rooted in Pacific Northwest folklore.
“We wanted to keep the mystery alive,” Russell said.
The reference appears in the snow behind the house, where a piece of tortilla displays the handwritten words, “The Vashon Maury Island Incident,” followed by the question, “It’s true, or is it?”
The design came together in the days leading up to the contest deadline, after several afternoons of work at the family dining table.
Garrett said the idea took shape quickly once he settled on the theme, though executing it within the contest’s edible-only rules required careful planning. The saucer needed to be stable enough to rest in the roof without collapsing the structure beneath it.
The project took about four afternoons to complete, totaling roughly 25 hours of work, Garrett said.
“Some people might not know too much about it,” Garrett said, adding that part of his motivation was to share a piece of island history.
This marks the Dorr family’s third year entering the Vashon contest, though gingerbread-building itself has been a long-standing holiday tradition in their household.
“It’s something they look forward to every year,” Garrett said. “It’s like a warm welcome to the holiday season.”
Last year, the family took home Best Vashon Landmark for “Bike in the Treehouse,” a gingerbread interpretation of a familiar island sight. That followed Russell Dorr’s Best in Show win the year before.
“My whole family goes to the dining table, listens to Christmas music and make these gingerbread houses,” Garrett said.
For Russell, the contest is less about competition than shared experience.
“The one thing that motivated Garrett and I is we wanted to make the community happy around Christmas and realize people can get together and do something different and fun,” Russell said. “It makes us happy that we get to do it every year.”
“Blue Heron,” by VCA staff. (Aspen Anderson Photo)
“Winter Wonderland Village,” by Claire Magruder and Eleanor and Ainsley Batey. (Aspen Anderson Photo)
“Winter Wonderland Village,” by Claire Magruder and Eleanor and Ainsley Batey. (Aspen Anderson Photo)
Garrett and Russell Dorr said their gingerbread house was inspired by a recent Beachcomber article about the Maury Island incident. (Courtesy Photo)
“Nutcracker,” by Dianne Kerwin, Michael Graeb and Catherine Graeb. (Aspen Anderson Photo)
“Future Home of the Vashon Island Food Hub at Mukai Farm and Garden,” by Jade Aqua, Sierra Stein and Jasper Stein. (Aspen Anderson Photo)
“Rainbow Winter Wonderland,” by the Balcom family: Harper, Henry and Jordan Balcom. (Aspen Anderson Photo)
Catherine Graeb won Best Youth for “Duck Box.” (Courtesy Photo)
Chastity Medlock won Most Traditional for “The Starry House.” (Courtesy Photo)
The Wilkes family won Best Vashon Landmark for “Point Robinson Lighthouse in the snow.” (Courtesy Photo)
“The Maury Island Incident,” by Garrett and Russell Dorr. (Aspen Anderson Photo)
