Hallmark Crowns Charming Illinois City as Its ‘Merriest Christmas Town’ for 2026

A new city has been crowned Hallmark‘s “Merriest Christmas Town.”

Carlinville, Illinois, which boasts just 5,000 residents, was picked as this year’s winner, beating out 1,500 submissions to become Hallmark’s merriest town for 2026.

Finalists in the running this year included towns from across the country, with small cities in states like Florida and California making Hallmark’s list for 2026, but ultimately, it was the quaint Midwestern city — which sits roughly 50 miles from the state capital of Springfield — that emerged victorious.

Carlinville, which features a town square similar to that in Gilmore Girls‘ Stars Hollow, served as the center for Hallmark’s crowning, with a large crowd gathering outdoors to mark the event. According to The U.S. Sun, people of all ages were in attendance, sporting holiday hats and festive Christmas attire as they celebrated on the grassy town square.

The town will also be featured on Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas special and will have the opportunity to be featured in one of the network’s future holiday films.

The win came as a surprise for residents, who were originally gathered outside the courthouse for what they believed was a special community photoshoot when they received the news.

Hallmark also brought in actresses Erin Cahill and Tamera Mowry-Housley for the occasion, crafting a scene right out of one of the network’s Christmas movies.

The executive director of the Carlinville CommUnity Chamber of Commerce, Karin Doolin, called the distinction an “extraordinary honor.”

“When we submitted our nomination, we weren’t describing a place we dreamed of becoming,” Doolin told the Springfield State Journal-Register. “We were telling Hallmark the story of who we already are.”

Carlinville Mayor Doug Downey, meanwhile, thanked the residents for making the community what it is.

“This is about every person who has ever shown up for a neighbor, volunteered their time, supported a local business, or helped make Carlinville a place people are proud to call home,” Downey told the Register. “Those are the stories that make a town special. And now the rest of the country is going to get to know ours.”

“We all have a responsibility to show the world what makes Carlinville great,” he maintained.