MAHONE BAY, N.S. — It’s springtime in Nova Scotia — merry Christmas.
Downtown Mahone Bay was recently decked out with Christmas decorations and rolls of white material were laid over green grass to look like snow while ornaments, lights and a giant nutcracker added to the festive scene.
Christmas movie magic had rolled into town.
“I think it’s wonderful for the town and it gets the name even more out there on the map and the locals seem to embrace it,” said Mahone Bay resident Ken Croft who was out walking his dog behind the barricades blocking off a large section of the town for filming. “There are a few complaints about the traffic but that’s just temporary.”
Several spots throughout Nova Scotia are looking festive this spring and that’s because the province is a backdrop for two Christmas movies destined for the Hallmark channel. And there are rumors that a third is on the way.
Christmasland, which producers will likely hope to sell to Hallmark, was recently filming in Mahone Bay while the Hallmark production Holy Father of the Bride was shot in Chester, as well as several other locations. Holy Father wrapped up their filming in Hubbards last week but Christmasland is filming for another few weeks around the province.
There’s been a sharp uptick in Christmas movies filming here since last year and it could be that Hallmark and Nova Scotia are back in love since the 2015 cut to film tax credits.
Christmasland
According to the Casting Workbook website, Christmasland is about Beatrice (played by Halifax actor Meghan Ory), “a jaded big-city journalist,” who joins her best friend on a trip to a town in Vermont “known for fulfilling Christmas dreams.”
She falls for the charming town and one of its residents, Ethan.
“Despite the growing romance, Beatrice's past experiences with disappointment make it difficult for her to believe in the happily-ever-after Christmas magic that surrounds her. Will Beatrice open her heart to the possibility of love and embrace the true spirit of Christmas?”
Local icon Cathy Jones (of 22 Minutes fame) is playing Carol Crane who is described as Ethan’s “warm and loving mother” who runs the local North Pole Inn “with a "Mrs. Claus" type charm.”
Holy Father of the Bride
Hallmark is tight lipped about Holy Father of the Bride. A spokesperson for Hallmark said it will be part of their “countdown to Christmas” event and no air date has been announced yet.
“We will have more information come September,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.
Information on the Screen N.S. website says Holy Father of the Bride is directed by Stacey N. Harding and has recently wrapped filming at “various locations in N.S.” Actor Kian Zarkechvari, who has also appeared in the N.S.-shot Sullivan’s Crossing, lists Holy Father of the Bride in his IMDB page.
Chester is a picture-perfect spot for producers looking for small-town Christmas charm. Jennifer Webber, with the Municipality of Chester, said Holy Father filmed in the town for a couple of weeks in mid-April.
“I think it went great and we got a lot of positive feedback,” Webber said.
While it’s an inconvenience for some businesses during shooting, many of them get on board, particularly when they’re featured in the background.
Beyond the economic benefits — productions tend to spend a lot of money where they shoot — there’s also a tourism boost. Webber said people have booked trips to the area to see where movies and shows have been shot.
“Stephen King, Haven fans just want to walk the streets where they see their favourite characters in their scenes,” Webber said, adding that there’s a lot of local pride when they see their streets on the screen.
“The film industry just fits with this location — it’s the atmosphere, we’re welcoming, we have a pretty big arts and culture sector so we’re the perfect feel for a New England town.”
As for the out-of-season Christmas decorations, most residents don’t bat an eye.
“Christmas in April is kind of weird but I had one quote from a resident that said it’s strange to see Christmas at this time of year but it was pretty cool at the same time.”
Why Nova Scotia?
In the eight years she’s been a business agent with the union I.A.T.S.E. Local 849, Shelly Bibby said she hasn’t seen a single Christmas picture filmed here until last year.
“There’s been a resurgence, a revival,” she said.
It could be related to recent trade missions to Los Angeles, she said. At least one included Premier Tim Houston, who in 2022 announced $23 million in funding for a soundstage and a content creator fund.
It could also be that studios think there might be a chance of snow if they’re shooting in Nova Scotia in the spring, Bibby said.
“Sometimes I think they’re just always looking for new places and new markets and new looks,” Bibby said. “We definitely have in Nova Scotia the New England, Maine (look).”
Stephen Reynolds, business agent with the Directors Guild of Canada — Maritimes and a 40-year veteran in the industry, said the province has been “slowly but surely building our way back” from the damage done in 2015.
These traditionally low-budget ($1.5 million to $5 million) movies are produced in a formula and are turned around quickly for broadcast, Reynolds said. They tend to find places and people that work well and keep coming back to them.
After successful trade missions down south, Hallmark was willing to give Nova Scotia a trial run with the two productions last year and had tremendous success so they’re back with two more, Reynolds said.
“There may be even a third on the horizon … but it’s only a rumour.”
‘A province textured with integrity and sophistication’
Last year, Christmas Island was filmed in Peggys Cove, Hubbards and Lunenburg. That one is about a pilot who is diverted to Nova Scotia during a snowstorm and needs the help of an air traffic controller to get off the ground. It was nominated for a 2024 Canadian Screen Award for best TV movie.
The Secret Gift of Christmas, which also starred Ory, was filmed in 2023 in various locations including Historic Properties in Halifax. The movie is about a personal shopper who helps a widowed client reconnect with his daughter.
Christie Will Wolf, director and writer of The Secret Gift of Christmas, explained why Nova Scotia is drawing these productions in a USA Today article titled Halifax is the perfect setting for Hallmark Christmas movies. Why you'll love it, too.
"Having directed upwards of 40 films across North America, Nova Scotia, Canada, ranks at number one for me. There is an intangible fabric that weaves throughout the people, places, and landscapes that is rare and beautiful," she asserts. "It's a province textured with integrity and sophistication, while rich with heritage."
A big deal
Hallmark wants charming, authentic small towns and having Hallmark and “Hallmark-adjacent” productions filming in Nova Scotia is a big deal, said Laura Mackenzie, executive director of Screen Nova Scotia, which is responsible for attracting productions.
“It’s so great that they’re coming back because networks like Hallmark can make so many movies. It’s really important when they come to a specific location they have a crew and production team that they can trust.”
It was a record year for productions in 2022, Mackenzie said, and 2024 is set to be on track or greater (there was a writers strike last year that delayed some productions).
In 2022, the economic impact of film production was $180 million, she said.
Carolyn Fox, who walked past the Christmasland set in Mahone Bay, said it’s exciting to see the filming in her hometown.
“It’s brought a lot of business to the town and it’s to our advantage.”
