Destination: Hallmark

In 2024, Kansas City became the center of the Christmas universe. InPark took an in-depth look at the team and process that helped conceive, design, produce and install the first-ever Hallmark Christmas Experience

by Judith Rubin

Big Christmas visions come true

As a leading brand with a passionate following, Hallmark has embarked on a fresh and bold venture into the experiential space. One might have expected even Hallmark to take it slow on its first such foray. Even with the brand’s very strong Christmas presence, it is a mighty tall order to motivate tens of thousands of people to travel to Kansas City, Missouri – in the midst of winter – to participate in a brand new seasonal experience.

Banish all doubts and thoughts of half-measures! The Hallmark Christmas Experience started big, stayed big, and delivered big. It did so every step of the way with the characteristic optimism of a Hallmark Christmas movie. In fact, a red-carpet Hallmark movie premiere event was a bold feature of the very first weekend.

“Creating ways for people to celebrate and connect is core to our brand,” said Lindsey Roy, Senior Vice President Brand Experiences at Hallmark and a 25-year veteran of the company. “We wanted to find new ways people can immerse themselves in the Hallmark Christmas magic.”

Her words rang true as the retail, media, and lifestyle brand juggernaut posted sparkling, seasonal success in 2024, starting with two inaugural Hallmark Christmas Cruises on the Norwegian Gem, followed by the first-ever Hallmark Christmas Experience. The latter drew attendance of more than 100,000 to Crown Center in Kansas City over four consecutive weekends between November 29 and December 22, underscoring Hallmark’s close relationship with its customer/fan base – and paving the way for future endeavors.

Those tens of thousands of people made their way to Crown Center on some of the most festive days of the year, to stroll and shop in the Christmas market, gather around the 100-foot LED-lit tree, connect with their favorite Hallmark stars and artists, make new friends and snag souvenirs. Many traveled significant distances, arriving from all 50 U.S. states – and over 20 countries. The program spanned a wide variety of free and ticketed events including VIP packages and Hallmark-themed hotel rooms.

The right team

The Hallmark Christmas Experience was a truly seasonal event, centered on a brand that is closely identified with Christmas by virtue of its products, media and culture. In addition to the program offerings, visitors treasured the chance occasions – the unscripted moments and personal touchpoints uniquely fostered by out-of-home, themed gatherings.

“We brought the charm of a Hallmark movie town square to life. We created a space for people to come and have shared experiences and forge new bonds – whether they had known one another before or met at our event,” said Roy. She oversaw the creation of the Hallmark Christmas Experience, helming the internal project team and leading the collaboration with the external operational partners over a 14-month timeline from green light to opening day.

“My heart was completely touched; as someone who has worked in this industry for a long time, this project was special,” said Chaz McEwan, who assumed the role of executive producer on behalf of Bay Laurel Advisors (BLA), the producer team that helped drive the project. McEwan is a producer and creative executive whose broad background of more than 40 years in the business includes roles with Walt Disney Imagineering and Universal Creative, along with a background in theater.

“I’m a Hallmark nut from way back, and I love Christmas,” said Stephen Feener, Chief Projects Officer of Superfly, which was producer/operator on the project. “There is just so much history and story.”

“Hallmark is now a player in the LBE arena, and it’s not just because of their creative acumen; it’s because they know it’s all about the fans,” said George Wade, President, Bay Laurel Advisors. Wade has a long track record helping brands move into experiential formats. He serves on the Board of Directors for Licensing International and was honored in 2024 by License Global as one of “The Influentials” making unique contributions to the field of branded experiences.

“Hallmark’s vision was ambitious and the team was up to the task,” said Wade, who had a prior working relationship with the company by way of Hallmark subsidiary Crayola, having been instrumental in the development of the Crayola Experience venues and other Crayola LBE ventures.

The core external team working with Hallmark’s internal teams included, in addition to Bay Laurel Advisors and Superfly, Dimensional Innovations (design/build/fabrication) and B Morrow Productions (concept design services). There were numerous subcontractors as well. [See below for additional credits.]

Christmas central

Crown Center – an 85-acre mixed-use retail, office, hotel, and entertainment complex – proved the ideal location. Its massive public square is the site of many festivals and events. It is the site of Hallmark headquarters and the Hallmark Visitor Center and is home to seasonal attractions, including the city’s annual Mayor’s Christmas Tree spectacle and the Ice Terrace skating rink. It has two on-site Marriott-operated hotels with a combined total of 1,500 rooms.

“Crown Center itself was a major player in this whole production; it has the infrastructure along with a strong knowhow of its market and the facility itself to support this grand project,” said McEwan. He cited the contributions of Crown Center Redevelopment Corp. President Stacey Paine. “She and her team partnered closely with Lindsey Roy and her team, and their joint efforts were especially powerful. One marker of the event’s success is that the two Crown Center hotels were near full occupancy for the entire run.”

“The final product encompassed pretty much everything contained in the initial concept: a blend of branding, hospitality, holiday/seasonality, live event, food and beverage, red carpet, stage shows, retail, and, of course, making lifelong memories for Hallmark fans. Tiered experiences ensured there was something for everyone,” said Wade.

Culture and connection

The program was built around the myriad of things Hallmark fans love and seek out. Everything was there to experience – from finding the perfect card they could send from the card sending station, to picking a special gift and gift wrap, to getting their Hallmark Keepsake Ornament signed by the artist, to taking a course from Hallmark creatives, and – of course – seeing the stars from their favorite Hallmark movies and series. Hallmark brought the magic of the season to life in stores, on screens, and in person.

Hallmark movies have been around since the 1950s under the renowned Hallmark Hall of Fame banner, and today the media arm is a major component of the company’s success, operating three leading linear cable networks, as well as a streaming service and membership program, Hallmark+. The many content offerings include scores of feel-good seasonal movies, scripted and unscripted series, and annual Hallmark Christmas movies, which have made their stake in pop culture. Hallmark’s unique brand of storytelling and its captivating actors have legions of enthusiasts. Appropriately, giving fans the opportunity to engage with network stars was a solid plank of the Hallmark Christmas Experience, with over 40 Hallmark Media stars appearing. For visitors, one of the eagerly sought chances – widely discussed and visible in the continuous social media dialogue surrounding the event as a whole – was to connect with a Hallmark star for a selfie and a chat, whether as part of a ticketed event or a spontaneous meeting.

“There were many ‘actors in the wild’ moments that delighted the fans – unannounced, completely sincere, personal interactions with the guests – one moment after another,” says McEwan. “In addition to followers of the movies there was just as big of a fanbase there for the creative sessions tied to Hallmark cards, writing, ornaments and more. People traveled far and wide for high-touch opportunities with Hallmark artists.”

Hallmark’s brand promise is ingrained in culture and connection and as a natural extension, the Hallmark Christmas Experience was bound to reflect this.

“Our products and content across the business are rooted in warmth and positivity, meaningful connections, family gatherings, and seasonal traditions – a winning formula that means so much to so many,” said Roy. “We brought the best of our iconic brand together during the most special time of year.”

Tying it all together

An intricate web of production and operational details supported the wide range of activities, whether one-off, recurring, or continuous. “This was a hybrid event, and it was our job to work with the Hallmark team to put those pieces together into a cohesive guest experience,” said Feener.

Operations had to be baked in from the start. This industry is replete with tales of projects that found themselves without resources for operational needs after design-build-open was complete. But in a make-or-break, finite event such as this one, where each weekend needed to be successful, there’s not the luxury of adapting over time. “Each weekend was a temporary event,” said Wade. “Each had its inherent challenges to identify and overcome. Part of the team’s success was its ability to pivot quickly from weekend to weekend based on guest feedback and their own observations.”

The project tapped Superfly’s deep well of experience in producing large-scale events, working with media brands and creating unique attractions – an extensive portfolio that includes The FRIENDS Experience, the annual Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, and the first several NBC BravoCons. Superfly also founded (and then for many years operated) the annual Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. The company has some 40 employees plus an ample network of contractors.

Feener spoke of the need to identify a unifying, on-brand focal point. This role would be assigned to Crown Center’s annual 100-foot live Christmas tree. “The Mayor lights the tree on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and we added nightly tree lightings after that. We made it center stage, like a theme park castle.” The tree also became the site of regular programming and broadcasting, with a seamless, branded blend of media content, live presentations and events made extra special and highly visible thanks to programmable, color changing LED lighting and a cylindrical LED videowall around the base, and a stage.

Between shows, the tree would revert back to its traditional look of warm, white lights. Studio RRD was subcontracted by Superfly for this part of the project, and also to install programmable LEDs throughout the square and in the booths of the Christmas market. The twinkling, dynamic lights combined with the 360-degree videowall at the base of the tree and the Light Walk attraction to help create a cohesive world and guest experience. “I wanted to use the whole footprint,” said Feener. “People on upper levels can see what’s going on onstage. Everyone in the square can feel included.” The AV subcontractor, Legacy, provided the creative team with a suite of tools that allowed for a wide range of programming flexibility. [See below for more team information.]

Red carpet touchdown

Kansas City Chiefs and Hallmark fans united during the first weekend for the outdoor red-carpet event at Crown Center Square on November 30, 2024, celebrating the premiere of Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, starring Hunter King and Tyler Hynes. Attendees were encouraged to show up in their Chiefs gear or favorite Christmas sweater, and later to shop the merchandise tie-ins at the Holiday Hallmarket pop-up store and experience the square.

“The Hallmark Christmas Experience was the perfect location for the red-carpet event,” said Roy. “It brought the incredible film full circle uniting the cast, special guests, and the community once again at the red-carpet event. The morning snowfall added to the magical Hallmark moment.”

It was a genuine Hollywood experience in the Midwest. Fans lined the streets for a chance to see the stars of the movie along with other stars there for the Hallmark Christmas Experience. Fans near and far were able to be a part of the red-carpet event with a live feed on the Hallmark Channel.

The Christmas Market

The Christmas Market is another example of the close collaboration between the Hallmark teams and external production teams producing something new yet quintessentially Hallmark.

“The incredibly skilled Hallmark creative community developed a beautiful style guide and creative resources to share with partners, immersing them in the brand and feel of the event,” said Roy.

“B Morrow Productions [BMP] was already creating concept designs for the project when we came on board, and we joined those conversations,” said Feener. “Superfly has extensive previous experience using tents at festivals and how to make tents not feel like tents. We utilized Hallmark creative resources, working with their talented creative team transforming red-top tents with charming facades for that Christmas feeling. Everything outdoors felt like a Hallmark movie square came to life.”

“BMP did a super job dialing into the brand, and they worked very effectively with Hallmark,” said McEwan. “At Bay Laurel Advisors, George and I both know theater as well as brick-and- mortar projects. We realized we needed a design firm that was accustomed to working with strong brands, had experience with live events and thematic holiday design, could develop a concept quickly, and understood Christmas. That was BMP. It was beautiful to see Hallmark creative translated from 2D ideas into a 3D experience.”

“You felt like you’d been dropped into a Hallmark-style Christmas village,” said Spencer Farley, Practice Director, Entertainment + Hospitality at Dimensional Innovations, which provided fabrication for this part of the project and were involved from initial concept through install and post-opening touchups throughout the event. The company, with a 120,000-square-foot facility in Kansas City and 225 employees, has an extensive track record in the museum, theme park and entertainment space. “It’s part of our core values to do things that have never been done before, to create remarkable experiences,” said Farley.

The materials mix included aluminums, MDF, acrylic, and vinyl printing. “We selected materials that could withstand staying outside for weeks on end in a Missouri December,” said Farley. “Everything was fabricated in-house. This was a very close collaboration, engaging our design studio and engineering studio in partnership with Hallmark and Superfly. Most of our scope was around the square, including the vendor booth facades and the displays around the Christmas tree. We would get layout approvals from Hallmark and then go back to our production floor. It was all hands on deck.”

Authenticity

“Hallmark has an authentic product and IP,” said McEwan. “They are who they say they are. The branding and creative staff know what they want and go after it – they’re a superlative creative team that won’t compromise quality. They partner well and are lovely to work with. It was a remarkable year of collaboration and partnership.”

“Hallmark always made us feel part of their team, as if we were a family,” said Feener. “They truly live their brand and that made it all the more meaningful to be working with them. What they sell is what they live by.”

“The need for true connection and shared experiences is everlasting,” said Roy. “The Hallmark Christmas Experience further delivered on our brand promise of connection and community. From an internal company perspective, it was fantastic. We were all energized by our fans finding magic and making memories.”

Memorable projects don’t happen by chance. They require a team of experienced professionals to design, plan, execute, and operate large-scale experiences. The Hallmark Christmas Experience is a shining example of how collaboration and expertise come together to bring joy to the world of Hallmark fans of all ages. Can we expect more Hallmark-branded experiences in the future? Of course the answer must be “Yes!” (They just announced the Hallmark Christmas Experience will be back for year two. And, the 2025 Hallmark Christmas Cruise is already completely sold out.) The fans are eager for more. Future Hallmark projects are bound to usher in new ideas, opportunities, and models for branded experiences. •

Hallmark and the team

Note: The making of the Hallmark Christmas Experience involved many more people than we can name here, on both the internal and external teams. We are only able to list key companies and figures, while extending our congratulations to everyone involved.

Hallmark

• Lindsey Roy, Senior Vice President Brand Experiences
• Jen Walker, Senior Vice President Creative
• Nikki Meek, Senior Director Brand Experiences
• Chris Stathos, Director Partnerships
• Liz Fizette, Project Management Director
• Anna Kambarami, Creative Director

Crown Center

• Stacey Paine, Crown Center Revelopment Corp. President
• Anne Deuschle, Crown Center Marketing Director

Bay Laurel Advisors

• George Wade, President
• Chaz McEwan, Producer

Superfly

• Stephen Feener, Chief Projects Officer
• Kat Graves, Executive Producer
• Terry McMahon, Vice President of Creative Production
• Ron Collins
• Bob Franklin
• Fabian Gordon

Subcontractors to Superfly

• Legacy Sounds (Technical Production on the exterior square, including the 360-degree LED screen built around the tree) – Andrew Maxwell, Jocelyn Rivera
• Hive Events (technical production in the Westin ballroom) – John Monroe, Kali Moxley
• Rob Ross Design (lighting for the tree light shows and exterior square)

Dimensional Innovations

• Spencer Farley, Practice Director, Entertainment + Hospitality
• Morgan Phillips, Project Manager
• Daren Nybo, Design Engineering Coordinator
• Mather Saladin, Design Engineer
• John Raridon, Project Engineer
• Noah Fondren, Designer
• An all hands-on deck effort from countless DI members for Load-In

B Morrow Productions

• Brian Morrow, Owner
• Andrew Carey, Creative Manager
• Amanda Trauger, VP Creative & Design

The McBride Company

• Ryan McBride, Creative Director
• Alicia L’Heureux, Interior Designer
• Katelyn Lynch, Signage and Graphics Designer