Hallmark produced all 50 of the most-watched cable TV movies of 2025, a sweep no other network came close to matching. Critics have spent years poking fun at the predictable plots and small-town settings, but millions of loyal viewers watched anyway, and the ratings speak for themselves.
For those fans, the only complaint is having to wait for the next holiday season. Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas doesn't kick off until October, which means enduring most of the calendar year before the annual holiday lineup returns. This July, a small town in Georgia is doing something about that.
ASmall Town Christmasreturns to Dahlonega, Georgia, July 24-26, 2026, for its second year. The inaugural event drew enough interest to return for a second year, this time with a considerably larger guest roster.
Decade Days, a Georgia-based convention company, created the event specifically for Hallmark fans and holiday movie lovers who see no reason why celebrating Christmas should be limited to a few months of the year.
Headlining the weekend is Catherine Bell, who will appear all three days. Bell is one of the most recognizable faces in Hallmark Christmas movies, best known for playing Cassie Nightingale in “The Good Witch” movie franchise and the Hallmark Channel series that followed it across seven seasons. She has also starred in several Hallmark Christmas films, including "Meet Me at Christmas," "Home for Christmas Day" and "Christmas in the Air."
Joining Bell are Chad Michael Murray, Ryan Paevey, and the Lawrence brothers, Joey, Matthew, and Andrew, are all on the schedule, along with Brendan Fehr, Katie LeClerc, and Rob Mayes. The weekend runs well beyond meet-and-greets, with autograph signings, celebrity panels, breakfast with Santa, live concerts, and themed parties. Local businesses throughout Dahlonega are leaning into the holiday atmosphere with seasonal products, treats, and decorated storefronts.
Dahlonega is a fitting location for the event. The town has the kind of historic downtown and small-town character that Hallmark typically has to recreate on a soundstage, and it has the filming history to back it up. The Hallmark Channel shot “Christmas in Homestead” there in 2016 and “Christmas in the Smokies” in 2015, and Lifetime used it for “A Taste of Christmas” in 2020.
"Dahlonega is proud to be the host city for A Small Town Christmas," said Sam McDuffie, executive director of theDahlonega-Lumpkin County Visitors Bureau. "Our community's holiday spirit is year-round, and this event is a perfect way to celebrate what makes Dahlonega so special — our welcoming hospitality, love of tradition and small-town charm. We look forward to sharing that magic with guests from near and far this summer."
Tickets are available atchristmasinasmalltown.com, with general admission and VIP package options. VIP access includes one selfie with a celebrity guest of the attendee's choice, reserved seating for main events and panels, exclusive merchandise, admission to the Friday night party, and priority access to celebrity meet-and-greets. Discounted room blocks are available through local hotels, and the area has a good selection of inns and vacation rentals for those who want to make a full weekend of it.
For Hallmark fans who have spent years waiting for October to roll around, Dahlonega this July offers a chance to skip the wait and spend a weekend celebrating the movies they love in a town that has served as the backdrop for several holiday films.
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