Imagine living in a town that looks like it belongs in a Hallmark Christmas movie. Now imagine Hallmark showing up and announcing that your hometown will actually become the setting for one. That’s exactly what happened in Carlinville, Illinois, on October 15, when Hallmark revealed the winner of its first-ever Merriest Christmas Towns Contest. And the surprise came with a few familiar Hallmark faces, including one General Hospital star.
Key Takeaways
- Carlinville, Illinois, won Hallmark’s inaugural Merriest Christmas Towns Contest.
- The town will host the filming of an upcoming Hallmark Christmas movie.
- Jonathan Bennett, Erin Cahill, Tamera Mowry-Housley, and Brendan Penny helped celebrate the announcement.
Hallmark Turned a Small-Town Dream Into a Real Christmas Movie
Hallmark Christmas movies have a way of making us wish we could pack our bags and move to one of those charming little towns where everyone knows everyone, the streets are decorated for Christmas, and romance is practically guaranteed.
For Carlinville residents, that fantasy is getting a little closer to reality. Hallmark invited fans to nominate their hometowns for its inaugural Merriest Christmas Towns Contest. The grand prize? An actual Hallmark Christmas movie filmed in the winning community.
Carlinville earned the honor, and Hallmark executives delivered the announcement at the town’s courthouse before treating residents to a surprise holiday celebration filled with music and festive activities. The movie’s title, cast, and filming dates haven’t been announced yet, but we’re already curious about what kind of Christmas romance will unfold there.
Four Hallmark Favorites Helped Deliver the Big Surprise
Of course, Hallmark wasn’t going to announce something this exciting without bringing along a few familiar faces.
Jonathan Bennett (Joe, General Hospital), Erin Cahill, Tamera Mowry-Housley, and Brendan Penny joined the festivities, giving residents a chance to celebrate alongside stars they’ve watched in countless feel-good movies.
And honestly, having four Hallmark favorites show up in your hometown to announce that it’s becoming a Christmas movie setting sounds like something that would happen in a Hallmark movie.
Michelle Vicary, Hallmark Media’s Head of Programming, said the network immediately recognized Carlinville’s charm.
“We knew instantly that Carlinville captures the widely adored Hallmark charm that brings our fans such joy and warmth year-round,” she explained.
Carlinville’s Biggest Christmas Gift Could Last Beyond the Holidays
The most interesting part of this announcement might be what happens after the cameras leave.
Carlinville Mayor Doug Downey credited the town’s historic downtown, holiday traditions, and welcoming residents for making the community special. He also hopes the recognition will bring new visitors and opportunities to Carlinville for years to come.
That’s a pretty wonderful bonus for a town that already loves Christmas. We don’t know whether Bennett, Cahill, Mowry-Housley, or Penny will appear in the eventual movie. Their participation in the announcement doesn’t confirm any casting.
But we do know that one real community is about to become part of Hallmark’s Christmas movie magic. And this time, the hometown charm won’t need to be created on a studio backlot.
