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This 4th of July edition of our Heavy on Hallmark Planner is full of ways to add a little Hallmark goodness to your life during this long holiday weekend — Thursday, July 3 through Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Check out our quick picks on everything from movie premieres and series updates to appearances by your favorite stars. Plus we’ve got sneak peeks of movies and events coming soon. Ready to get the weekend rolling? Let’s go!
HALLMARK SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS:
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This section of our Heavy on Hallmark Planner guides you through all the new, fun movies and shows scheduled to air over the next few days. Note: you can always find Hallmark Channel’s entire programming schedule for the weekend on their site, as well as Hallmark Mystery’s lineup for the weekend here.
The Boys are Back!
To hold you over until its sequel comes out this holiday season, an extended cut version of “Three Wise Men and a Baby” will premiere on Hallmark Channel this Saturday, July 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. And to tide you over before that airs, you can watch Tyler Hynes, Andrew Walker and Paul Campbell’s fun Facebook Live that they recorded before the original movie’s premiere here!
‘Operation Nutcracker’ on Hallmark Now
As part of Hallmark’s Christmas in July, another new holiday flick, “Operation Nutcracker,” just premiered on Hallmark Now, starring Ashley Newbrough and Christopher Russell. According to the synopsis, “When an antique nutcracker set to be auctioned at the Warby family Christmas charity goes missing, a demanding event planner and the heir to the Warby dynasty try to track it down.” Hallmark Now subscribers can stream the movie at anytime or you can sign up for a free trial.
‘Murder She Baked’ Mystery Marathon
Don’t feel like going out to watch fireworks on the 4th of July? You might enjoy catching up on all four of the classic “Murder She Baked” movies with Alison Sweeney and Cameron Mathison, the earliest editions of the “Hannah Swensen Mysteries.” The four movies start airing on Hallmark Mystery on July 4 at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
CHECK OUT WHERE YOUR FAVORITE STARS ARE
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This section of our Heavy on Hallmark Planner gives you the scoop on what your favorite stars are up to in the coming days, including special events, online chats, and appearances on stage and screen beyond Hallmark. Here’s what’s happening…
Benjamin Ayres Launches Limited ‘Romance University’ Gift Boxes with Signed Hats
Hallmark star Benjamin Ayres, “chancellor” of Romance University (the charity-supporting, rom-com-celebrating community he started in early 2023), kicked off a limited edition sale on July 3 of gift boxes to be shipped out personally by him that each contain an autographed “RU” trucker hat, green antler beanie, and other surprise goodies. There are only 20 available, so it’s first-come, first-serve here!
‘Operation Nutcracker’ Facebook Live
To celebrate the premiere of “Operation Nutcracker,” stars Ashley Newbrough and Christopher Russell united on July 2 for a Facebook Live to chat about their experience making the movie. You can watch their 20-minute conversation here.
PLAN AHEAD! HERE’S WHAT’S COMING SOON
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Save the date! Your favorite Hallmark stars are continuously working on upcoming projects, performances, and appearances. Here’s a round-up of what we know is coming soon…
Jake Foy’s New Musical Premieres July 5
Hallmark star Jake Foy’s new musical short film, “More Together,” premieres via BroadwayHD and on Amazon Prime on July 5. With music & lyrics by award-winning composer Drew Gasparini, the 40-minute musical short is “a coming-of-age teen drama exploring the delicate balance of friendship blossoming into love, and the unexpected challenges of growing up.” Foy, who was on Hallmark’s “Ride” and is said to be part of its new “Chicken Sisters” cast, talked with PopCulturist about the cool project last fall (watch the interview here).
More Hallmark Celebs to Attend Halloween & Harvest Lineup
The organizers of this fall’s Halloween & Harvest fan convention in Georgia have added more Hallmark stars to the roster of attending celebrities. The initial roster lineup announcement crashed the ticket site and full weekend passes sold out in hours! Now added to the star-studded group are Cindy Busby, Dan Jeannotte, and Christopher Russell! The convention is scheduled for October 31 – November 4.
Spend the Afternoon With Kristoffer Polaha: Venue Change
As previously reported, longtime Hallmark fan favorite Kristoffer Polaha will host a three-hour solo fan event on Saturday, July 13 from 1 to 4 p.m. in Nashville but the venue has changed to Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen. On Instagram, Polaha explained that attendees will receive a “one of a kind goodie bag as a gift from me to you, three hours to talk and tell stories, photos ops, lunch, and so much more; a truly once in a lifetime opportunity for my die hard fans.” Tickets are $150 for the event and attendees must spend a minimum of $40 for food and drink at the venue.
Enjoy your 4th of July weekend, Hallmarkies!