Aug 18, 2026 - Things to Do

This Minnesota city is competing for Hallmark's Merriest Christmas Town title

Torey Van Oot

Nighttime festival float: giant red-and-black plaid figure with a black top hat, blue pants, and a horned blue animal beside string lights and pink and green fireworks exploding in the dark sky. — Paul and Babe get into the holiday spirit, naturally! Photo: Visit Bemidji

Bemidji is a very merry finalist in Hallmark's Merriest Christmas Town contest.

The big, jolly picture: The home of everyone's favorite corny holiday romcoms is honoring communities that bring "the spirit of Christmas to life through cherished traditions, joyful celebrations, and a deep sense of community."

In addition to the bragging rights, the winning town will have an opportunity to serve as a filming location for an upcoming Hallmark film.

Zoom in: Bemidji's entry celebrates the "contagious energy" (and many, many twinkle lights) that fill the air during its annual First City of Lights festival.

For those who haven't been, the seasonal magic includes "larger-than-life Christmas trees," s'mores by the fire pit, and glowing holiday parade.

How it works: Online voting is open through Sept. 4. You can vote once a day until the deadline, so this is one case where stuffing a ballot box is not naughty, but nice.

The winner will be announced in late October.

The bottom line: Bemidji is giving Bentleyville a run for its money with this bid.

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This Minnesota city is competing for Hallmark's Merriest Christmas Town title

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