Hallmark Names Carlinville Its Merriest Christmas Town Of 2026
A surprise celebration on the historic square revealed the national honor, recognizing community spirit and holiday traditions that helped Carlinville stand out among 25 finalists.
CARLINVILLE — Carlinville has been named Hallmark’s Merriest Christmas Town of 2026, winning a nationwide contest that will bring a Hallmark Christmas movie production to the central Illinois community for a 2027 release.
Hallmark announced the selection Thursday during a surprise celebration on the town’s historic square. The Macoupin County seat beat 24 other finalists through a selection process combining public votes and judges’ assessments of community spirit, holiday traditions, neighborhood charm and goodwill.
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The winning nomination came from resident Karin Doolin, whose account of the town and its people helped distinguish Carlinville from the other contenders.
“Among the many impressive submissions and countless fan votes for our 25 finalists, Carlinville was chosen as the winner of our inaugural Hallmark’s Merriest Christmas Towns contest based on a submission by local resident Karin Doolin, who beautifully described the camaraderie and heart of both the town and its people,” said Danielle Mullin, senior vice president of brand marketing for Hallmark Media.
Hallmark stars Erin Cahill, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Brendan Penny and Jonathan Bennett joined company executives at the announcement.
Keeping the celebration a surprise required several weeks of planning in the community of about 5,500 residents. For a September scouting visit, Doolin suggested that Hallmark representatives pose as a team from Midwest Living preparing a feature about the town. Residents later gathered for what they were told would be a Midwest Living photo shoot. The publication was not involved in the selection or announcement.
The contest began July 1, drawing nearly 1,500 submissions featuring communities’ holiday traditions and Christmas spirit. Hallmark selected 25 finalists, and public voting ran from Aug. 14 through Sept. 4.
In a social media post celebrating the selection, the Carlinville CommUnity Chamber of Commerce credited residents for supporting the nomination.
“Thousands of you rallied behind our nomination, voted, shared, encouraged, and believed,” the chamber wrote.
Carlinville, located between Springfield and St. Louis, is known for its historic square and holiday lighting traditions. Its annual Christmas in Carlinville market is scheduled for Dec. 4-6, 2026.
The town will be among the filming locations for Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas movies next year. All 25 contest finalists receive the designation Official Hallmark Christmas Town and a promotional toolkit.
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