Santa Claus, escorted by the Berlin Fire Company, is pictured in last year’s Berlin Christmas Parade. Photo courtesy of Good Boy Mfg.

By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(July 23, 2026) While Berlin has long been deemed America’s Coolest Small Town, it hopes to earn a new title as the merriest and secure the chance to be featured in a holiday movie.

As part of the Hallmark Channel’s 25th birthday, the network is scouring the nation to find the town with the most festive atmosphere, charming air and Christmas cheer. The effort will recognize towns that go the extra mile to create unforgettable holiday seasons for residents and visitors year after year. And Berlin is in the running.

Of the communities that enter the competition, Hallmark will choose 25 of the most impressive as Official Hallmark Christmas Towns. These top towns will advance to the public voting phase of the contest and receive a promotional toolkit designed to engage residents, visitors, and businesses in the ballot-casting process. The package will include marketing assets and communication materials.

At the conclusion of voting, one hometown will be named Hallmark’s Merriest Christmas Town and highlighted in an official Hallmark film. The winner should be a place that captures the cozy, joyous feeling of the wintertime months to align with the company’s extensive catalog of holiday flicks.

Any jurisdiction across the country may enter the contest. However, Berlin was formally invited to participate, town staff said.

 The Eastern Shore town has maintained a reputation as a place with picturesque streets, buildings, and celebrations. As such, Berlin caught the attention of representatives of the Hallmark Channel, who contacted the municipality to encourage them to enter the competition.

Ivy Wells, the town’s economic and community development director, said the Hallmark Channel contacted Berlin via email. That correspondence was shared with this publication last week and read, “To celebrate Hallmark Channel’s 25th birthday, we are officially inviting your community to enter Hallmark’s Merriest Christmas Towns Contest! The search is on to find where joy lives, and we think it might just live in Berlin.”

Berlin’s efforts to celebrate the holiday festivities include the always-crowded annual Christmas Parade through Main Street and the yearly Hanukkah Menorah Lighting. Additionally, the town’s commitment to preserving its historic architecture and old-town aesthetic has fostered a strong sense of community pride. So much so that the Hallmark Channel took notice.

Berlin’s charm has captivated filmmakers before. In the 1990s, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere starred in the movie, “Runaway Bride,” which was shot in the small town. Berlin also served as the setting for scenes of the 2002 motion picture “Tuck Everlasting.”

Residents and visitors may nominate Berlin for the contest at www.hallmarkchannel.com/merriest. Individuals must write a paragraph and upload a few images showcasing why the town is the ideal setting for a Hallmark Christmas movie. The deadline is Aug. 10.