Turning Stone’s Annual Gingerbread Village, Christmas Tree On Display

Verona, NY (WIBX) - Another year, another massive Gingerbread Village, as the Turning Stone Resort Casino launches its annual holiday display.

The eight building village is 60 feet long, and features a General Store, English Tudor House and church.

Dan Smith, with the Oneida Nation, says the display is made with more than 900 pounds of flour, 1,200 eggs, and 4,500 gumdrops. More than 13,000 pieces of gingerbread were used to manufacture the village- each piece handcrafted by the resort's team of pastry chefs.

But, Smith is quick to point out that new this year is a fully animated Santa's Workshop.

"This was done by Turning Stone carpenters, who started celebrating Christmas in July, because they started building this over the summer," Smith said. "So, it's taken this long for them to build Santa's Workshop, and it's really hard to describe. You have to see it to believe it."

In addition to the giant tree and Gingerbread Village, Smith says there are more than 1.5 million lights and ornaments placed around the resort.

Each display, including the Christmas Tree, is open to the public. The tree is in the Emerald Lobby, while the Village is in the Winter Garden.