Hallmark wants to make “Hallmark town” an official title, and starting today, your hometown can enter the running. Hallmark Media has launched Hallmark’s Merriest Christmas Towns Contest, inviting communities across the country to nominate themselves for a shot at being named one of 25 official Hallmark Christmas Towns, with one grand prize winner earning a spot in an original Hallmark movie.
Nominations opened July 1 and run through August 10, 2026. Hallmark says it is looking for towns that capture its signature blend of warmth, connection, community spirit, holiday tradition, neighborhood charm, and goodwill; basically the wreath-lined main streets and cozy storefronts fans have been calling “Hallmark towns” for years, now made official. Full contest details and the nomination form are live at hallmarkchannel.com/merriest.
The 25 winning towns will each receive an official seal and promotional assets to celebrate the designation. The grand prize goes a step further, with that town earning a featured spot in a future Hallmark original movie. It is a real, tangible payoff for whichever community wins, not just a badge for the town website.
This contest is also the opening move in something bigger. Hallmark Channel is celebrating its 25th birthday this year with a months-long tribute to fans, and the Merriest Christmas Towns Contest kicks that celebration off. Hallmark Media president Darren Abbott framed it as a thank-you to the network’s fanbase and the towns that embody the brand’s core values, especially heading into the holiday season. Fantasy Land News is already covering the 25th birthday celebration in depth, including Hallmark Channel’s 25th Birthday event at 92NY in New York City on August 4.
Our take: if your town leans into the holidays the way plenty of small towns do, this is worth the ten minutes it takes to nominate it. Hallmark has been building out real-world fan touchpoints all year, like the Hallmark Christmas Experience in Kansas City, and this contest fits right into that pattern of turning the on-screen Hallmark aesthetic into something fans can actually visit and be part of. A movie filmed in your own town is the kind of prize that turns casual viewers into lifelong fans of a place.
For everything Hallmark Channel this year, visit our Hallmark Channel hub at Fantasy Land News.
Hallmark Merriest Christmas Towns Contest: How to Nominate Your Town
