While various Hallmark stars came together on Sunday, September 13, 2026, in Los Angeles for the Dance Party to End ALZ, Benjamin Ayres was a no-show at the special event.
Now, the actor has taken to social media to explain why he wasn’t able to attend the pajama party-themed celebration even though he was fully intending to be there with others who were supporting the worthy cause. In fact, he had already started his trip to L.A. However, his journey didn’t exactly go as planned!
Benjamin Explained How His Trip Hit an Unexpected Snag
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will not be able to attend the Los Angeles Dance to End ALS party this evening,” Ayres said in a video that he shared on Instagram the same day that he was meant to attend the event. He added, “I really wanted to be there. I was en route.”
While wearing a casual denim shirt and sitting in a comfy-looking chair, the actor spoke directly to the camera as he explained, “I was in the airplane. I’d gone through security, done all the things on the airplane, on the tarmac, on the runway for two and a half hours. Then we were asked to leave the plane. Then we found out the flight was canceled.”
Ayres continued by noting that there were no other flights from where he was in Toronto to where he needed to be in Los Angeles, which left him with no options when it came to getting to California in time.
Although Ayres was surely disappointed to miss the event, he did point out that his absence “does not take anything away from the fact that we raised so much money.” Saying that he was “so proud” of those who have been involved, he asked that he be tagged in videos and sent photos of the celebration, while saying, “Dance your butts off, dance your socks off, dance your pajamas off, but keep them on, but dance them off, if you know what I mean.”
Hallmark Stars Came Together for the Pajama Dance Party
Despite the fact that Ayres was kept from attending the Dance Party to End ALZ, both Ashley Williams and Nikki DeLoach were there. In fact, the duo were acting as this year’s hosts, while fellow Hallmark star Andrew Walker was a part of the host committee along with his wife, Cassandra. Before the party, Williams, DeLoach and Walker showed off their sweet moves during a video that they popped up on Instagram.
During the event, they were joined by Melissa Peterman, Jonathan Bennett and Sarah Drew, as well as Tamera Mowry-Housley and Paul Greene.
The stars came together for the “energetic and inspiring event” that “supports the Alzheimer’s Association’s research grant program, raising critical funds to advance scientific breakthroughs,” the organization’s website explained, while noting that those who were planning to attend should “[g]rab your fuzzy slippers and sleep masks and come dance the night away as artists perform their favorite hits, all for an incredible cause.”
Those performers included Eliza Pryor, Kayden, Riley Weston and Lindsey Gort, while Mowry-Housley also delighted the crowd with her rendition of “We Belong.”
