CT Launches Nation's First Christmas Movie Trail

CONNECTICUT — Christmas and Connecticut. The two go together like town squares and gazebos, or clams and pecorino.

Hollywood has been grinding out Christmas movies in Connecticut (or places that pretend to be Connecticut) for decades, and the state's Marketing Department has finally picked up on the trend.

Next month, the Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing and Tourism, in collaboration with the Connecticut Office of Film, TV, and Digital Media, is launching the Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail.

The initiative will highlight locations across the state where more than 20 holiday movies have been filmed. Visitors will have an opportunity to relive iconic holiday movie moments as they experience "the magic of Connecticut during the Christmas season."

Connecticut will be home to the first Christmas movie trail in the nation.

Residents and movie lovers who enter an online contest will have the chance to attend the exclusive unveiling of the Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail, where they will meet several actors from popular holiday films. They'll also have an opportunity to become an extra in an upcoming holiday movie being shot in the Nutmeg State.

"Connecticut has long been a place where imagination and opportunity come together, and the launch of the nation’s first Christmas movie trail is yet another example of how our state continues to inspire," Gov. Ned Lamont said. "This contest is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the films that showcase our state’s charm and beauty – from our historic small towns to our scenic landscapes – and it’s a great chance to invite people to experience firsthand what it means to live, work, and play in Connecticut."

Twelve contest winners will be invited to attend the trail’s launch event, which will be held on Nov. 13, and attended by actors Wes Brown, Erin Cahill, and Michael Rady. During the event, one of the contest winners will be selected in a random draw, and that person will win a spot to become an extra in an upcoming holiday film. The event will also feature displays of costumes from several films.

Enter the contest online here.

Entries must be submitted by Nov. 6, and winners will be notified shortly thereafter.
Additional information about the Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail will be announced during the November 13, 2024, launch event.