10+ Ohio towns that give ‘Hallmark Christmas Movie’ vibes
*Attached video: Tree lighting celebration kicks off the holiday season at Crocker Park.
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Do you ever wish you could jump through the screen and into your favorite holiday movie? We have found the next best thing!
If you really love Christmas … these Cleveland pop-up bars are for you
A Hallmark Channel Christmas movie is usually a film that features all things Christmas with a touch of falling in love. With all the twinkling lights, hot cocoa, Santa Claus and snow flurries, each and every Hallmark Christmas movie is overwhelmingly Christmasy in their own way.
Here in Ohio, many people take the holiday season and spreading Christmas joy very seriously, just like in the movies.
Our guidelines for what makes a ‘Hallmark Movie’ city or town:
Features outdoor events
Features the city itself/takes place downtown
Santa visits/events are held throughout the season
Athens – Athens County
This Southeast Ohio town is perfectly decorated for the holiday season with boutique shopping at every turn.
Events according to Ohio.org:
Uptown for the Holidays opening night is on Dec. 8 from 6 – 8 p.m. Events feature music, movies and wagon rides. Those will take place on Saturdays Dec. 9-23 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and Thursdays, Dec. 14 & 21 from 5-7 p.m.
Athens Art Guild Holiday Shoppe will be held on Dec. 16-17.
Click here for more details.
Caldwell – Noble County
The town square is fully decorated with local businesses’ windows also getting into the holiday spirit with Christmas displays.
The annual tree lighting kicked off the Caldwell events at the Noble County Courthouse Square on Nov. 22 at 6 p.m.
Events according to Ohio.org:
Village Ice Skating Rink opened for the season on Nov. 22
Horse-drawn carriage rides will take from Nov. 22 – Dec. 23
The Village Christmas Parade was on Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.
Christmas Donkeys from White Oak Farms on Dec. 3 from 2-4 p.m.
Live reindeer will be on the town square for “Santa’s Reindeer Are Coming to Town” on Dec. 14 from 5-7 p.m.
Join the Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department for “Breakfast with the Grinch” on Dec. 16 from 8-11 a.m.
The Outdoor Christmas Carnival & Market will take place on Dec. 16.
Click here for more details.
Holiday lights worthy of your time in Northeast Ohio
Cambridge – Guernsey County
The Historic Downtown Cambridge is transformed into old-world England into a Dickens Victorian Village from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 for the 18th season!
According to the Dickens Victorian Village website, “There are over 92 scenes of 180 lifelike figures representing classic scenes from the Victorian era along Wheeling Avenue between 6th and 11th Streets.”
The Dickens Victorian Village scenes have life-sized and hand-made mannequins wearing real vintage clothing with the faces of each character individually sculpted and painted by local artists.
The displays have classic scenes and figures including Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and Father Christmas.
The courthouse also comes to life with thousands of lights synchronized to holiday music. The building, built in 1881, is covered in 36 animated light displays, 15,000 lights outlining the building and a total of 30,000 lights.
Clifton – Clark and Greene Counties
The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill has over 4 million lights illuminating the mill, the gorge, the riverbanks, trees and bridges with a 100-foot “waterfall” of twinkling lights.
The display has been featured in Midwest Living and Ohio Magazine and was nominated as one of USA TODAY’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards for 2022.
The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill has been celebrating the holiday season for 35 years and features a miniature village, a Santa Claus museum, a toy collection and a live working Santa in his workshop.
Gates opened at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24.
The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill is open seven nights a week from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. through Dec. 23. The display is open from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Findlay – Hancock County
Downtown businesses go all out with decorated windows for the holiday season. The official City of Findlay Christmas Tree lit up Dorney Plaza at 6 p.m. on Nov. 24.
North Pole Express at the Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation runs from Nov. 24 – Dec. 30. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until January 1, North Pole Express Closed Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve.
Hancock Historical Museum’s “Christmas Open House” event takes place Dec. 9-10.
On Dec. 24, Father Christmas and Mrs. Claus visit historic South Main Street. You can walk through South Main to see the historic homes, holiday lights, and luminary-lined sidewalks.
Gallipolis – Gallia County
Gallipolis was a 2022 TODAY Show “Merriest Main Street” town. The Village presents Gallipolis in Lights each year, where thousands of lights fill the Gallipolis City Park from Nov. 22 – Jan. 1, 2024.
The official park lighting celebration took place on Nov. 22 at 5:30 p.m.
The Gallipolis Christmas Parade will be held on Dec. 2 at 1 p.m.
Lebanon – Warren County
The holiday Illumination tree lighting took place on Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. in Christmas Tree Park.
The Horse Drawn Carriage Parade and Christmas Festival took place on Dec. 2 with activities and parades lasting from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Don’t forget to meet up with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the 1795 Beedle Log Cabin on Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and head over to the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad to ride the North Pole Express from Nov. 17 – Dec. 23.
Marysville – Union County
Marysville goes all out with Christmas lights for its holiday celebrations. The Merry and Bright Bridges, Bigelow and Pottersburg Covered Bridge and the Twinkling Lights at the Bridges are on display from Nov. 1 – Jan. 1, 2024.
The Marysville Uptown Christmas Walk and Tree Lighting took place on Nov. 27 from 5-8 p.m.
Medina – Medina County
The city square and local shops are all decked out for the holiday season already in Medina!
A Celtic Christmas took place on November 26 from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Medina Performing Arts Center. Also, experience the Medina County Fair Drive-Thru Holiday Lights at Medina County Fairgrounds on 8-10 & 15-31, according to Ohio.org.
As always, experience Christmas all year at Caste Noel, which is the largest indoor year-round Christmas entertainment attention in the country.
Portsmouth – Scioto County
Portsmouth was named an official Hallmark Channel Hometown Christmas town in 2019, so it just had to be on the list!
The Winterfest at Market Square is held from Nov. 16 – Dec. 31, where you and your family can enjoy seasonal activities including the ice skating rink and carriage rides.
Steubenville – Jefferson County
Check out the world’s largest collection of life-size nutcrackers from Nov. 21 – Jan. 6 in downtown Steubenville. The exhibit has 200 life-sized nutcrackers and is open to the public 24 hours a day. Click here for a full list of additional events and activities
Willoughby – Lake County
Downtown Willoughby’s Holiday Lighting Ceremony was on Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. and holiday lights will be on display from Nov. 30 – Jan. 7, 2024. Click here for a full list of holiday events.
Vermilion – Erie and Lorain Counties
Light Up Vermilion took place on Dec. 1 from 5 – 9 p.m. with the Community Tree Lighting at 6:15 p.m. in Exchange Park. Vermilion’s Christmas alpacas will also be there and the lighting will be followed by a free Christmas Concert by the Vermilion Community Band. Plenty of Christmas activities will be taking place during Light up Vermilion, click here for the full list.
Events according to Ohio.org:
Vermilion Arts Guild Gallery’s Holiday Art Show runs from Nov. 4 – Dec. 22.
“Santa is Coming to Town” on Dec. 2 & 9.
Time travel to the 1860s at the Benjamin Bacon House Museum as you take a candlelit tour of the museum. You can experience “An Old Fashioned Holiday” with costumed reenactors, a campfire, and historical stories of Bacon and Brownhelm on Dec. 2-3.
Zanesville – Muskingum County
Downtown Zanesville transforms into a Christmas wonderland with their Storybook Christmas events.
The Storybook Christmas 5k and 1-mile Fun Run will also take place on Dec. 2 at 5 p.m.
*If you’ve experienced Christmas time in these beautiful cities and towns, please share your photos with us by emailing tips@fox8.com.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
