Nobody knows how to celebrate a birthday like Hallmark, so it’s no surprise Hallmark Channel has big plans to celebrate 25 years of producing family-friendly, feel-good movies, series, and specials this summer.
On July 7, 2026, the network announced that everyone’s invited to its 25th birthday bash in New York City. Scheduled for August 4 at 92NY, the event will feature more than 20 of Hallmark’s biggest stars, with tickets available to attend in person or virtually.
Hallmark Channel’s 25th Birthday — Who’s Coming & How to Attend
HallmarkAmong the stars who will attend Hallmark Channel’s 25th birthday bash are Alison Sweeney, Andie MacDowell, Andrew Walker, Ashley Williams, Autumn Reeser, Barbara Niven, Benjamin Ayres, B.J. Britt, Erin Cahill, Heather Hemmens, Holly Robinson Peete, Jonathan Bennett, Kimberley Sustad, Lacey Chabert, Marilu Henner, Niall Matter, Nikki DeLoach, Scott Michael Foster, Tamera Mowry Housley, Tyler Hynes, and Wes Brown, with more likely to be added.
People magazine’s Breanne Heldman will moderate “lively conversations” with the stars, digging into behind-the-scenes stories and favorite Hallmark Channel memories, per Hallmark Media. Guests will also get to watch exclusive preview clips from the new Hallmark+ limited series “Paris Is Always a Good Idea,” starring Lacey Chabert and Scott Michael Foster.
Scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time, seats in NY92’s Buttenwieser Hall at The Arnhold Center were already filling up within minutes of Hallmark Media’s announcement. You can check availability here, with tickets starting at $45. Those who can’t attend in person can stream the event live for $25 (plus a $6 event fee), available to purchase at the same link.
Hallmark Channel’s 25th birthday party is one of many fan events the network has planned during the second half of 2026, starting with Hallmark Stars Live, a 10-city tour from July 22 to August 2. If past years are any indication, there will also be a kickoff event for this year’s Countdown to Christmas in early fall, and then in October, 18 stars will set sail aboard the third annual Hallmark Christmas Cruise. Then the holiday season brings the Hallmark Christmas Experience in Kansas City, with different stars appearing each of four weekends.
History of Hallmark Channel’s Rise to the Top
GettyHallmark Channel’s birthday bash on August 4 will honor “25 years of heartfelt storytelling, feel-good entertainment, and the stars who have made Hallmark Channel a beloved part of popular culture,” per Hallmark Media. The network has incredible staying power, regularly nabbing the top spot in the ratings as the most-watched entertainment cable outlet, especially during the holidays.
Known for its greeting cards and gifts for decades, Hallmark purchased a significant stake in a religious cable channel called Odyssey in the late 90s, and in August 2001, the network was rebranded as Hallmark Channel. That began several years of experimenting with a new programming model, including a morning show hosted by late country star Naomi Judd, per CNN, and started to gain traction in the ratings by 2005.
With light romance and mystery movies performing well, Hallmark Channel went from producing 20 original movies in 2007 to 30 in 2008, according to Multichannel News.
By 2009, the network held its first Countdown to Christmas event with four original Christmas-themed movies; in 2026, there are sure to be more than 20 new holiday movies featuring Hallmark Channel’s biggest stars, including Chabert’s “Holiday Ever After” filmed at Disney World, a third NFL-themed rom-com (“Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story” filmed in Chicago), and a sequel to its 2023 hit, “A Biltmore Christmas.”
