Here are the winners of this year’s Belleville Gingerbread Contest
Contestants in the 29th annual Belleville Gingerbread Contest won over $4,000 in prize money and the Best of Show award went to Jennifer Morimoto for her creation “The Land of the Remembered.”
All of the contest entries have been placed in downtown shops along Main Street and they will be on display throughout the Christmas season.
You can see Morimoto’s entry at Halo Boutique, 119 E. Main St. The Best of Show category was sponsored by Art on the Square.
Here are the other 2018 winners:
Master’s category
▪ First place, $600: Amanda Landers, “Making a List”
▪ Second place, $300: Judy Zillen, “Skyview Drive-in at Christmas.”
▪ Third place, $200: Susan Rogers, “Rub a Dub Dub”
Category sponsored by Downtown Development/Redevelopment Commission and the Belleville Exchange Club.
General category
▪ First place, $300: Teresa Hessel and Suzanne Kugler, “Picking Fun”
▪ Second place, $200: Patricia Keim, “Holly Lodge”
▪ Third place, $100: Lynda Rueff, “Christmas Hoedown”
Category sponsored by Hoernis Auto Body and Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Fantasy/Animated category
▪ First place, $300: Emma Pritchard, “Centaur”
▪ Second place, $200: Diana Guenther-Legate, “Trolls Santa’s List”
▪ Third place, $100: Renee Brown, “Alice”
Category sponsored by Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce.
First-time Entrants category
▪ First place, $300: Jacqueline Ruiz, “Krachen Kristmas”
▪ Second place, $200: Lauren Mand, “Grateful, Thankful, Blessed”
▪ Third place, $100: Kathy Drollette, “Winter Fairies.”
Category sponsored by Memorial Hospital/BJC.
Children’s categories
Best of Show, $100
Erin Halleran, “Erin’s Farm”
Kindergarten to Fifth-grade
▪ First place, $75: Kennadi Totel, “Hugs, Kisses & Fairy Wishes”
▪ Second place, $50: Liam Clark, “Lighthouse Cove”
▪ Third place (tie), $25: Lilliana and Caleb Maitret, “Gingerbread Cabin” and Evangeline Landers, “Flower House.”
Sixth-grade to 12th-grade
▪ First place, $75: Bella Durbin, “Cozy Log Cabin”
▪ Second place, $50: Mary Neisler and Norleen Frame, “Celebrating the Bicentennial of Illinois”
▪ Third place, $25: Madeline Thompson, “Magical Meadows”
Children’s Group
▪ First place, $75: Sarah Gagen, “Creative in Kindergarten”
▪ Second place, $50: Heather Sherrod, “A Brownie’s Hometown Pride”
▪ Third place, $25: Holy Trinity, “The Trusty Cabin”
All children’s categories sponsored by the Bank of Edwardsville.
Special Awards
Mayor’s Choice Award, presented by Mayor Mark Eckert
Teresa Hessel and Suzanne Kugler, “Picking Fun”
Celebrity’s Choice Award, presented by John Pertzborn of KTVI-Channel 2
Eileen Kinney-Kach, “Kach Family Winter Retreat”
SWIC Pick Ribbon, presented by the Culinary Arts and Food Management Department
Erin Halleran, “Erin’s Farm”
Hallmark Award Plaque, presented by the St. Clair County Historical Society
Vanda Loughary, “Simpler Time”
