The sweetest showdown of the season.
December 7, the 28th floor, 100 builders, two hours — all racing toward $10,000 for youth aging out of foster care.
100% of proceeds benefit the FLITE Center, guiding Broward & Palm Beach youth aging out of foster care into housing, education, and real independence.
The holiday party where your sweet tooth does something real.
What started as a few competitive friends and a kitchen full of broken graham crackers has become the South Florida tournament I look forward to all year — 100 builders, a two-hour build, and a mountain of candy, all on the 28th floor of the Tower Club.
⏳ The Two-Hour Rapid Build
I give every team exactly two hours on the clock. From there it's pure holiday chaos — gingerbread slabs, custom royal icing, peppermint trusses, and a mountain of candy ammo. Watching teams engineer an edible estate against the countdown is the best part of my December.
🏆 Judged by People Who Know Building
I bring in independent judges — local architects and celebrity guests — who score each house on structure, holiday whimsy, piping artistry, and team spirit. The winners walk away with real championship hardware and bragging rights that last a full calendar year.
🥂 Food, Cocktails & Good Company
We hold it on the 28th floor of the Tower Club, with the whole Fort Lauderdale skyline and waterways behind you. Festive hors d'oeuvres, signature holiday cocktails, and high-energy music — the kind of night I love curating for this community.
A short film about the young people this night is for — dropping soon.
When foster care ends at 18, these kids get handed nothing.
I've met these young people. The night they turn 18, the system walks away — and they're left to figure out adulthood with no family, no safety net, and nowhere to go. That reality is exactly why this tournament exists.
The FLITE Center (Fort Lauderdale Independence Training & Education Center) is the place Broward and Palm Beach youth can count on for housing, education, jobs, and trauma-informed care. Every house you build and every dollar you sponsor funds their path to real independence.
Safe, Stable Housing
Emergency transitional beds and permanent supportive apartment placement.
Education & GED Access
College tuition waivers, tutoring, vocational enrollment, and laptop scholarships.
Employment & Career
Resume development, interview training, paid internships, and trade credentials.
Wellness & Mental Health
Trauma-informed counseling, healthcare access, life skills, and mentorship.
Let's raise $10,000 together.
Every sponsorship, ticket, and donation rolls straight into this number — 100% of it funding housing, education, and independence for youth aging out of foster care.
How a Childhood Rivalry Became a $10,000 Mission
Long before we took over the 28th floor of the Tower Club, this was just us around a messy kitchen table with broken graham crackers and powdered sugar everywhere. I've kept photos from every single era — from when we were kids to the tournament years that turned our chaos into life-changing support for foster youth.
The Kitchen Table Chaos
Broken graham crackers, frosting glued to our elbows, and an intense sibling rivalry. Just kids competing for holiday bragging rights over messy candy rooftops.
The 28th-Floor Showdown
100 builders, real architects as judges, signature cocktails, and a $10,000 mission guiding kids aging out of foster care into adulthood through the FLITE Center.
Kitchen Counter Chaos
Sticky elbows, broken graham cracker walls, stolen gumdrops.
The Rivalry Is Born
When building turned into an unapologetic family showdown.
Our First Masterpiece
Lopsided, over-frosted, and absolutely perfect.
The First Tournament
We took the family tradition to the Tower Club floor.
House #1
The build that started it all.
The Competition Grows
More teams, more candy, more chaos.
On the Build Floor
Sixty minutes of pure holiday adrenaline.
Architectural Marvels
Stained-glass candy windows and edible cobblestone.
Champions Crowned
Trophies, bragging rights, and a check for FLITE.
The Skyline Showdown
A hundred builders fighting the clock on the 28th floor.
The Gumdrop Estate
Past champion entry — the judges were blown away.
Your Spot Here
Our goal: $10,000 for FLITE. Your team photo goes on this wall next.
Have photos from past Gingerbread Wars?
Send them to me! I'm curating our entire archive to project during the opening reception at Tower Club.
How the Wars Are Won
I keep the rules simple so the building can get gloriously complicated. Here's everything you need to know before the clock starts.
Two Hours, No Mercy
The moment I start the clock, you have exactly two hours to build. When I call piping bags down, hands off — what's on the table is what gets judged.
Teams of Two
Every house is built by a team of two. Come solo and I'll match you with a partner, or grab a friend and build together. Company squads run multiple houses side by side.
All Materials Provided
Pre-baked gingerbread slabs, foundation boards, royal icing in piping bags, and a full candy ammo station — gumdrops, peppermints, sprinkles, licorice, fondant, the works. You bring the vision.
Everything Must Be Edible
Per the official GBW bylaws, every structural element has to be edible. No toothpicks holding up your roof, no glue, no tricks — if a judge can't theoretically eat it, it can't be in it.
Secret Weapons Welcome
Want to bring your own special sprinkles, custom fondant, or edible glitter? Go for it. As long as it's edible, it's fair game. The best builds always have a secret stash.
Four-Criteria Judging
My judges score on Structural Integrity & Engineering, Creativity & Holiday Whimsy, Edible Artistry & Piping Detail, and Team Spirit. Trophies go to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd — plus a Crowd Favorite voted by the room.
One more thing — the most important rule is that we're all here for the same reason. Every house built, every candy placed, every dollar raised goes straight to helping young people aging out of foster care find real footing. That's the whole point.
Pick Your Spot on the Build Floor
Come build solo and I'll pair you with a partner, grab a friend for a two-person house, or bring your whole company squad to take over a section of the ballroom. However you show up, I'll make sure you're matched, fed, and armed with candy.
Gingerbread Wars 5
Tower Club • Dec 7, 6:00 PM
Sponsor Gingerbread Wars 5
I partner with companies who want real visibility in front of South Florida's most engaged business leaders, creatives, and philanthropists — helping us hit our $10,000 holiday goal so every dollar lands directly in a foster youth's life.
Candy Sponsor
Fuel the builders with endless sweets, sprinkles, and candy ammunition
- Branded Candy Ammo Station stocked with gummies, sprinkles, fondant & tools
- 1 Company Competition Team (1 house / 2 builders)
- Logo on the candy station signage and every table marker
- Social media spotlight to our South Florida audience
- Recognition on the donor wall at Tower Club
Bar Sponsor
Sponsor the open bar and signature holiday cocktails for all 100+ guests
- Branded Bar Takeover — open bar and festive cocktails all night
- 1 Company Competition Team (1 house / 2 builders)
- Logo on bar signage, glassware, and the event brochure
- Social media spotlight to our South Florida audience
- Recognition on the donor wall at Tower Club
Prize Sponsor
Fund the champion trophies, medals, and audience-favorite awards
- Official Prize Purse — champion trophies, medals & audience-favorite awards
- 1 Company Competition Team (1 house / 2 builders)
- Your name engraved on the championship trophy + award ceremony honors
- Logo on prize signage, brochure, and digital screen rotation
- Recognition on the donor wall at Tower Club
Want a Custom In-Kind, Beverage, or Candy Bar Partnership?
I welcome candy makers, bakeries, beverage partners, and media allies. You can also sponsor multiple houses or set up corporate employee matching gifts — just tell me what you have in mind.
Tournament Schedule
Monday, December 7, 2026 • 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Alexa Rosario
Curating memorable gatherings around South Florida & championing local community causes.