Candy Land Gingerbread Village Opens in Central New York for Sweet Holiday Tradition

A holiday tradition sweet enough to eat is back for the Christmas season. The famous Central New York Gingerbread Village is finally open.

Christmas tree lightings and Santas may be signs of the season. But there's only one place in Central New York to see the true sign of the holiday; the opening of the Gingerbread Village at Turning Stone in Verona, New York.

Candy Land Village

The Candy Land themed village features nine colorful structures that stretch over 75 feet. There's also a train that travels throughout the land.

• Cupcake Commons Barn
• Ice Palace Carousel
• Lollipop Woods Tudor House
• Dulce de Leche Falls Log Cabin
• Chocolate Mountain Colonial House
• Ice Cream Slopes Bakery
• Peppermint Pass Church
• Candy Castle Farmhouse
• Gummy Hills Train Station

Sweet Destination

Turning Stone’s award-winning pastry team, led by new Executive Pastry Chef Jeremy Moore, designed this year’s Gingerbread Village with a nostalgic nod to the childhood game Candy Land with memories of sweet-sounding destinations and delicious candy-themed adventures.

“Even before I started working at Turning Stone, I knew about its Gingerbread Village and the accolades it receives each year,” said Turning Stone Executive Pastry Chef Jeremy Moore. “We wanted to continue that tradition this year by creating an all-edible, sweet-tooth indulging, colorful candy-focused village with sprinkles of gingerbread.”

30 employees spend more than 2,000 hours making the impressive village each year.

2023 Gingerbread Village

• 4,000 Gingerbread Pieces
• 4,000 Hershey Kisses
• 3,900 Hershey Miniatures
• 1,260 Andes Candies
• 1,000 Pounds Frosting
• 720 Dum Dums Lollipops
• 400 Cow Cupcake Wrappers
• 375 Peppermint Sticks
• 315 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
• 250 Pounds Fondant Icing
• 150 Pounds Isomalt Sugar
• 41 Pounds White Chocolate

The Gingerbread Village, which has been recognized for the last several years by Forbes Travel Guide as one of the best in the country, is open through New Year’s Day and is by The Commons shopping boutiques.

Over 2 Million Lights

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Turning Stone too. More than two million lights, 160 illuminated Christmas trees, and thousands of ornaments are lighting up the holidays around the resort.

By The Numbers: Turning Stone’s 2023 Holiday Décor

• 2 million LED holiday lights
• More than 4,150 ornaments
• 160 illuminated Christmas trees
• More than 230 feet of holiday garland
• 10 eight foot long ornaments hanging in the Winter Garden
• 84 illuminated light post motifs along the drive into the resort
• Several massive Christmas trees measuring between 24 to 50 feet
• Six oversized illuminated ornaments and ten large illuminated gift boxes