Editor's Note: After 45 years, Joe Hickel retired after building the village in 2023. However, UAA culinary students have continued the tradition the village is on display in the lobby of the hotel during the holidays; look for work to begin in late November.

If you’re lucky to be in Anchorage in December, you’ll have the chance to see a wonderful holiday tradition at the Hotel Captain Cook; an enormous gingerbread village created by pastry chef Joe Hickel. Christmas 2021 marks Hickel's 38th year designing the lobby-sized village. What makes the edible town so magical, besides the size itself, is the amount of detail that goes into each piece — there are personalized buildings and parks.

A fun fact about the gingerbread village: Hickel used over 2,300 lbs. of sugar, icing, and chocolate and 80 pans of gingerbread to create the walls, rooftops, and chimneys.

The exhibit is open to the public and taking photos is encouraged.