Connecticut Capitalizes on Holiday Film Craze with New Movie Trail and Tour

Connecticut, the backdrop for at least 22 holiday movies, is turning its picturesque towns into a pilgrimage for fans with a new Christmas Movie Trail and a week‑long Hallmark tour.

The New Trail and Tour

In 2023, the state launched the “Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail” map to cash in on the growing Christmas‑movie craze. The map highlights the towns and streets that have served as sets for Hallmark, Lifetime and other holiday films.

Mayfield Tours, a company based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, organized a week‑long “Hallmark Movie Christmas Tour” that stopped in Connecticut and other Northeastern states. Co‑owner Debbie Mayfield, who runs the company with her husband Ken, said this was the first time the tour visited holiday‑movie locations in the region.

The itinerary included hotel accommodations, some meals, tickets to the filmed sites, and even a stop in New York City to see the Rockettes. The tour sold out in two weeks, a testament to the popularity of the genre.

During the trip, fans watched the matching Hallmark movies on the bus as they rode from stop to stop. Abby Rumfelt of Morganton, North Carolina, expressed her excitement, saying, “It’s exciting — just to know that something was in a movie and we actually get to see it visually.”

Fan Experiences

At Heirloom Market in Comstock Ferre, the group had lunch while discussing the films “Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane” and “Rediscovering Christmas,” both of which were shot there. The market sits in a historic district known for its stately 1700s and 1800s buildings, a setting that feels like a movie set.

The local country store sells T‑shirts featuring Hallmark’s crown logo and the phrase “I Live in a Christmas Movie. Wethersfield, CT 06109.” Julia Koulouris, who co‑owns the market with her husband Spiros, said, “People just know about us now.”

She noted that Instagram tags and posts have increased traffic to the town, turning everyday streets into tourist attractions. The market’s success is tied directly to the movie trail’s promotion.

The tour also included stops at other filming locations, such as the Bushnell Park Carousel in Hartford, where a scene from “Ghost of Christmas Always” was filmed. Visitors could see the carousel’s historic charm while recalling the film’s snowy backdrop.

Economic and Cultural Impact

The holiday‑movie industry generates hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Hallmark struck gold in 2006, five years after the Hallmark Channel launched, with the romance movie “The Christmas Card.” Joanna Wilson, author of Tis the Season TV: The Encyclopedia of Christmas‑Themed Episodes, Specials and Made‑to‑TV Movies, said, “Hallmark saw those high ratings and then started creating that format and that formula with the tropes and it now has become their dominant formula that they create for their Christmas TV romances.”

Today, roughly 100 new films are released annually across cable, broadcast, streaming platforms, and direct‑to‑video producers. The genre has diversified, featuring characters from a wider range of racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as LGBTQ+ storylines.

Despite the diversity, the core formula remains the same: a G‑rated love story with a predictable, happy ending. “They want to see people coming together. They want to see these romances. It’s a part of the hope of the season,” Wilson added.

Hazel Duncan, 83, of Forest City, North Carolina, shared how she and her husband of 65 years watch these movies together year‑round. “We hold hands sometimes,” she said, describing their simple, sweet evenings in two recliners.

Industry Perspective

Anthony M. Anthony, Connecticut’s chief marketing officer, explained that the Christmas Movie Trail is part of a multipronged rebranding effort launched in 2023. “So what better way to highlight our communities as a place to call home than them being sets of movies?” he said.

However, debate continues in the state Capitol over whether to eliminate or cap film‑industry tax credits. The outcome could threaten the number of holiday movies made locally.

Christina Nieves and her husband Raul, who have lived in Connecticut for 30 years, have been exploring the trail “little by little.” She described the experience as a chance to discover new places in the state.

Nieves said the tour inspired her to convince her husband, who is not a big movie fan, to join her at a tree‑lighting ceremony and Christmas parade in Windsor Locks. “I said, listen, let me just milk this Hallmark thing as long as I can, OK?” she said.

Future of Connecticut Film Production

The state’s promotion of its movie locations is a strategic move to attract more productions. The Christmas Movie Trail showcases Connecticut’s scenic towns, historic districts, and charming storefronts.

Tour operators like Mayfield Tours are capitalizing on the trend, offering fans an immersive experience that combines travel, film history, and holiday nostalgia.

As the industry evolves, the debate over tax credits remains a critical factor in determining whether Connecticut will continue to be a popular filming destination for holiday movies.

Key Takeaways

• Connecticut’s Christmas Movie Trail turns towns into tourist attractions for holiday‑movie fans.
• A week‑long Hallmark tour sold out in two weeks, featuring stops in Connecticut, New York, and other Northeastern states.
• The film industry’s formula remains a G‑rated love story, but the genre has diversified in recent years.

The trail’s success highlights how film locations can boost local economies while sparking conversations about the future of state‑backed film incentives.