Days before the highly anticipated premiere of Hallmark’s new series, “Hope Valley: 1874,” stars Benjamin Ayres and Bethany Joy Lenz will team up to connect with fans at a Hallmark store in Los Angeles — and they can’t wait.
The free meet-and-greet on March 17, 2026, will be Ayres and Lenz’s first public appearance together since they began filming the “When Calls The Heart” prequel, premiering March 21 on Hallmark+. Ayres told EntertainmentNow that after filming the frontier drama since late December, they’re excited to “travel from 1874 … and go back to the future (in) Los Angeles.”
Benjamin Ayres Explains Why Upcoming Meet-and-Greet is ‘More Than Just an Appearance’ to Him
On March 17, fans can meet and take photos with Ayres and Lenz at Trudy’s Hallmark Shop in San Dimas, California, from noon to 2 p.m. But Ayres, who has starred in more than 20 Hallmark movies, told EntertainmentNow that it’s much more than an “appearance” to him.
“Meeting the fans is always a reminder that storytelling is really about the connection,” he said. “We’re making these shows, and we’re hoping that something we create might resonate with someone out there. But you just don’t fully understand the impact until you meet people face to face and hear their stories.”
“It becomes more than just an appearance,” Ayres continued, noting the profound connection that “When Calls The Heart” fans, known as Hearties, have established. “It becomes a celebration of this entire community that has grown around this show, this world, this ‘When Calls The Heart’ universe.”
Hallmark“Hope Valley: 1874” is a precursor to Hallmark’s “When Calls The Heart,” now in its 13th season, and will focus on the early settlers who establish the community that eventually becomes the frontier town of Hope Valley. Lenz, also a Hallmark veteran, plays Rebecca Clarke, who “travels with her 11-year-old daughter to the Canadian frontier in search of a new life,” per Hallmark’s logline. “When she realizes the boardinghouse she purchased is not as advertised, she has no choice but to accept help from local rancher Tom Moore,” played by Ayres.
Fans have been given sneak peeks at their onscreen connection in previews of the show, but Ayres told EntertainmentNow, “To get to do an event in Los Angeles alongside Joy is just really exciting, because the chemistry and the friendship that people see onscreen is built on a genuine relationship behind the scenes.”
Benjamin Ayres Says Connecting With Hallmark Fans is ‘Incredibly Moving’
Ayres has served as the host of televised Hallmark fan events, including a holiday special from the 2025 Hallmark Christmas Experience, and even created an initiative called Romance University that features an online community of fans and fundraising events for charity.
“We’ve met families who watch (Hallmark) together every week, and people who say the shows help them through a difficult season of life, or others who simply found a sense of comfort in these characters in this world,” Ayres explained. “Finding that kind of connection is incredibly moving and something I’m just so deeply grateful for.”
He continued, “Now that I’ve done so many of these events, so many of the fans that come out are friends. So, I’m just hoping many of our friends in the Los Angeles area come out to visit so they can say hi and, you know, I can get a hug from some friends.”
On March 17, fans will be able to meet Ayres and Lenz for free on a first-come, first-serve basis between noon and 2 p.m. Pacific time. Meanwhile, “Hope Valley: 1874” debuts exclusively on Hallmark+ on March 21, and new episodes will be released each Thursday beginning on March 26.
