Turn on the tube this holiday season 鈥� specifically the Hallmark and Lifetime channels 鈥� and local TV watchers might wonder if their staring at a screen or out their window this holiday season.
The upbeat family get-togethers and fantastical romances found on these movies-of-the-week (MOW鈥檚) have their loyal following.
Millions of households tune in, particularly around Christmas time, to get a warm and toasty feeling that even a roaring fire with roasting chestnuts struggles to compete with.
While they may put some in the festive mood, the fun lies for many locals in picking out locations they know and been.
91原创 has been the site of countless productions, not to mention a few big-budget studio Christmas movies, over the past year.
It鈥檚 been so busy in fact, Jenn DesLauriers, manager of Frosting Cupcakery and Bake Shop, said movies and TV have just become part of the business.
鈥淲e probably get one in every couple weeks鈥� someone coming in scouting the place out or inquiring about filming,鈥� DesLauriers explained.
Frosting Cupcakery was a major setting for Hallmark鈥檚 The Sweetest Heart, a recent sugary romantic comedy about a women who follows her dream of running her own cupcake shop.
DesLauriers said the movie definitely put them on the map after it aired, having also supplied cookies and cupcakes for Riverdale鈥檚 Christmas episode a few seasons back.
鈥淧eople have come in to look around 鈥� another lady who does a Hallmark movie blog came to take pictures,鈥� she explained.
Of course, DesLauriers assured that the extra business is welcome, she stressed that the potentially invasive projects have not been an inconvenience.
鈥漈hey built a wall in between the shop and changed everything around 鈥� I鈥檓 literally sitting behind this wall in the movie the whole time 鈥� but they coordinated with us to we could continue with orders鈥� and they nicked a bookshelf when they were moving it and replaced it with a whole brand new set,鈥� DesLauriers said. 鈥淚 would absolutely recommend. It鈥檚 so cool seeing your story on TV.鈥�
Frosting Cupcakery is just one of the many spots around Downtown 91原创 that have been immortalized on-screen; pedestrians may have struggled to get past McBurney Plaza the last few weeks without a moments waits.
A festive setup, nicknamed 鈥淐andy Cane Lane鈥� by the production crew, transformed the plaza into a glowing Christmas market.
The entirety of the Fraser one-way was taken over by the Disney production Noelle in October of last year, starring Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, and Shirley MacLaine.
Released on Disney+ in mid-November, the production, which tells the story of Kris Kringle鈥檚 children taking over the reins of gift delivery, extensively featured Salt Lane and the surrounding shops for a scene.
DesLauriers said Disney even rented out her business for crew to hang out in during 狈辞别濒濒别鈥檚 production.
Teri James, Executive Director of the Downtown 91原创 Business Association, said the abundance of shops and supportive people make the area an attractive place to shoot.
鈥淚 believe filming in 91原创 City is desirable for a few reasons: there鈥檚 a tax break for them if they film in either of the 91原创鈥檚,鈥� James explained. 鈥淭he city staff is great to work with [as] most of the businesses are very supportive of filming, and the vibe of the 鈥渕om and pop鈥� downtown works very well for many of the movies that are filmed here.鈥�
Productions aren鈥檛 limited to 91原创 City either.
In August, The Mistletoe Secret staring Kellie Pickler was shot in downtown Aldergrove, making use of artificial and real snow to get the summer streets looking like a chilly winter鈥檚 day.
Yorkson Creek Middle School was decked out in Christmas decor for a MOW over the summer.
Read More: Brand-new European-style Christmas market comes to 91原创
Then, of course, there is Fort 91原创 鈥� one of the busiest areas in not just the Fraser Valley, but all of Canada when it comes to Hallmark productions.
Estimated by the fan website I鈥檝e Scene it on Hallmark, 30 Hallmark movies with a Christmas theme have been shot Fort 91原创 in the past 15 years.
CEO of Creative BC Prem Gill stated at an August dinner meeting of the Greater 91原创 Chamber of Commerce that last year, 1,788 days of filming took place in 91原创.
has already begun airing their new arsenal of Christmas flicks; 24 band new premier holiday movies until the end of 2019.
has a steady stream of original Christmas content airing daily.
So the question then becomes, what is 91原创 watching and where are they seeing themselves?
***
Heather Alexander, a 91原创 City resident, won four Cineplex tickets (two adults and two children) for responding to 91原创 Advance Times contest earlier this month.
Readers were asked what Hallmark movies they were watching this holiday season and if anyone had seen productions shooting in 91原创.
Alexander said she had seen A Christmas at Grand Valley, which was filmed in Brogan鈥檚 Diner, and A Dollywood Christmas, which had scenes that were filmed in McBurney Lane.
鈥淚t is great to see filming happening here in 91原创/Aldergrove,鈥� Alexander said. 鈥淚t helps our local businesses get on the map.鈥�
Here鈥檚 what other readers had to say about 91原创 locations in any holiday movies;
Theresa Gallello; 鈥淟oved seeing Fort 91原创 in Coming Home For Christmas.鈥�
Tracy Roper: 鈥淪o far just Noelle (Disney+) filmed in 91原创鈥檚 one way stretch.鈥�
Shelley-Travis Streifel: 鈥淲e pretty much watch all of them from November to December. We love seeing downtown 91原创, Fort 91原创, and Five Corners in movies. They even filmed up at Bell Park so we are hoping to see which movie that was.鈥�
Cass Eaton: 鈥�Hitched for the Holidays was filmed in 91原创.鈥�
Jenn Pea: 鈥�Christmas in Evergeen.鈥�
Sharon Good: 鈥�Write Before Christmas filmed in my house and on my street.鈥�
Doreen Borck: 鈥淚 love Hallmark movies. I watch them all and have been for years. Love it that they are filmed in my backyard.鈥�
What movies have you or are planning to watch this holiday season?
Dorothea Dahl: 鈥淚 might as well post the whole tooten list. My PVR is always recording. I watch one every single night after work. They always help me to reminisce about home and the 鈥済ood old days鈥�.鈥�
Dianne Korman-Shannon: 鈥淎ll of them! I watch them after my kids go to bed.鈥�
Laura Marie Russell: 鈥淐orny christmas Hallmark movies are my absolute fav every year.鈥�
Katie Optis: 鈥淕oing to watch Noelle, as my friend has a starring role in it.鈥�
_________________________________
Is there more to this story?
Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on or follow us on
_________________________________
