The Texas Hill Country city of Boerne has been selected as one of 25 finalists in Hallmark Channel’s 2026 Merriest Christmas Town contest!
The Hallmark Channel’s 2026 Merriest Christmas Town contest
The contest, sometimes described as Hallmark’s Christmas-town round-up, celebrates places that embody the warmth, traditions, visual appeal, and community spirit associated with the network’s holiday programming. Boerne is competing against towns across the country; the complete list of finalists include:
- Ashland, Oregon
- Bemidji, Minnesota
- Berlin, Maryland
- Boerne, Texas
- Cape May, New Jersey
- Carlinville, Illinois
- Carolina Beach, North Carolina
- Chatham, Massachusetts
- Collierville, Tennessee
- Conway, South Carolina
- Corning, New York
- Cullman, Alabama
- Eureka Springs, Arkansas
- Hanover, Pennsylvania
- Leavenworth, Washington
- Lewisburg, West Virgina
- Marlborough, Connecticut
- Neenah, Wisconsin
- North Conway, New Hampshire
- Papillion, Nebraska
- Parkille, Missouri
- Placerville, California
- Portsmouth, Ohio
- Versailles, Kentucky
- Winter Park, Florida
About Boerne, Texas
Boerne is a small city of Kendall County in the Texas Hill Country, roughly 30 miles northwest of San Antonio. It is best known for its German-Texan roots, walkable historic center, creek-and-cave landscapes, and weekend-getaway atmosphere.
What makes Boerne so merry
Among its merry holiday programming, the town’s signature event is Dickens on Main. Much like Dickens on The Strand in Galveston, the event features a Victorian-inspired Christmas setting with lights, costumed performers, music, shopping, food vendors, children’s activities, and artificial snow.
The town’s broader holiday season also includes Weihnachts Weekend and Parade – which features more than 100 illuminated floats, bands, and community entries traveling down Main Street – and a lineup of downtown shopping, music, caroling, and parade-style festivities.
On the second weekend in December, Boerne hosts Kinder Fest, a family-focused holiday event that features a Cookie Crawl, Santa Scavenger Hunt, and Cowboy Christmas Market.
Here’s an excerpt from Hallmark Channel on Boerne:
“When the Christmas season arrives, Boerne, Texas, feels less like a town and more like a holiday storybook come to life. Nestled in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Boerne glows with twinkling lights, festive music, and the kind of warm hospitality that makes visitors feel instantly at home. It is this magical blend of tradition, community, and Christmas spirit that has earned Boerne a reputation as one of the merriest Christmas towns in Texas“.
If selected as the overall winner, Boerne would receive the “Hallmark’s Merriest Christmas Town” designation and an opportunity to become a filming location for a future Hallmark production.
How to vote for Boerne in Hallmark’s Christmas-town round-up
Public voting is open daily through September 4, with the winner expected to be announced around October 31. Alongside the public vote, the contest evaluates each community’s holiday traditions, neighborhood character, local participation, and expressions of goodwill.
