The World's Largest Gingerbread Village Is A Four-Tiered, Free-To-Visit New York Attraction

When it comes to holiday magic, New York City takes the cake — or in this case, the cookie! This city boasts the world's largest gingerbread village, a place where you can feast your eyes on four stories of edible artisanship. The aptly named GingerBread Lane contains homes, cafes, stores, and even a Santa cruising down candy-coated streets. As you're envisioning this tasty paradise, you're probably wondering: how was this village created? And more importantly, how do you visit? Well, let's dive into the delicious details...

Gingerbread Lane is the work of Jon Lovitch, whose humble beginnings grew into a Guinness World Record-holding creation. Every year, he does everything from drafting blueprints to the final touches on frosted rooftops. His traveling display has been all over the States and is frequently featured in New York City. It's a yearly attraction open from late November to early January, and for the 2024-2025 season, you'll find it at The Shops at Columbus Circle. The fact that this location is free to visit is just icing on the cake.

Lots of love (and frosting) goes into the village's construction. The sweet aroma of gingerbread and candy fills the air while the ornate details leave a lasting impression. But don't take our word for it — we encourage you to visit! Whether you're a gingerbread aficionado, celebrating the holidays, or looking for a romantic winter getaway, this New York City attraction is worth the trip. And to help you out, we're sharing fun facts and planning tips.

GingerBread Lane might be a seasonal display, but creating it is a year-long process. Lovitch begins by taking advantage of post-Christmas candy sales. In February and March, he starts brainstorming and drafting designs for the new village, with construction beginning as early as April. By late October, he's working on the finishing touches like shutters, wreaths, and signs. And in early November, he makes sure the schematics are good to go.

When it comes to architecture, Lovitch has some regular favorites like the "SnowMan Apple Cider Company," "Santa's Sleigh Repair Company," and the "Hot Chocolate Brewery." However, he also pulls from local inspiration. For the 2024-2025 season in New York City, he added a subway sign and a larger turkey as a nod to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Lovitch aims to maintain — or surpass — his world record for the largest gingerbread village. He takes pride in making an entirely edible display, without the use of any cardboard structures. The latest GingerBread Lane used a whopping 488 pounds of candy, 1,788 pounds of icing, and 372 pounds of gingerbread. There are also 23,000 jelly beans and nearly a thousand candy canes.

The best way to enjoy GingerBread Lane is to make a day of it. Luckily, The Shops at Columbus Circle is in a prime location for sightseeing. This mall is across the street from the best tourist attraction in America, Central Park. It's also within walking distance to Times Square. But make sure to skip the tourist traps in Times Square and stick to the good stuff!

If you prefer public transit, our guide to the New York City subway system will come in handy. Once you've arrived at the venue, you can walk around and observe GingerBread Lane at your leisure. If you prefer to get in on the action, you can join Chef Lovitch for a gingerbread-making workshop. These one-hour sessions sell out fast, so make sure to book yours well in advance.

Want to own some GingerBread Lane real estate? It's actually possible to take a gingerbread home back as a souvenir. On the final day of the showing, every piece of the village is given away. People begin to line up at noon and the giveaway begins at 2 p.m. It's first come, first serve, so get there early to stake your claim. But although those cookie-cutter houses might look appetizing, we wouldn't take a bite since the candy is quite old!