Some of the biggest Hallmark Channel stars gathered in Park City, Utah this week for a fun winter getaway at the Sundance Film Festival. Stars including Lacey Chabert, Wes Brown, Andrew Walker, Ashley Williams, Tyler Hynes, and Jonathan Bennett shared behind-the-scenes photos and videos from the fun they had together, from hitting the slopes to dining together, and expressed gratitude for the five-star treatment they got from Hallmark execs who organized the trip.
Hallmark Provided ‘Power Group’ of Stars With Fun Getaway
On social media, top Hallmark personalities and their guests started sharing their arrivals in Park City on January 24, 2023. In his Instagram Stories, Hynes gave his followers peeks of a hotel hallway, with a sign directing guests into a special Hallmark Media suite that served as a gathering spot for stars and many network programming execs, including publicity chief Annie Howell, programming VP Lisa Hamilton Daly and CEO Wonya Lucas, who also serves on the Board of Trustees for Sundance.
The stars received Christmas-themed swag bags including Bombas socks, homemade hats by 15-year-old entrepreneur Sloane Conway, matching Hallmark Channel t-shirts that they posed for pictures in, and eco-friendly Nothing New sneakers from Williams in celebration of her program for women film directors, which Hynes called “a beautiful thing” in his Instagram Stories.
In an Instagram photo posted by Walker, he shared that a “power group” made up of him and his wife Cassandra Troy, along with Hynes, Williams, and her husband, Neal Dodson, attended one of the featured Sundance films — The Tuba Thieves — at the historic Egyptian Theatre.
Multiple stars also hit the slopes for skiing and snowboarding. Hynes shared an Instagram video of himself on his snowboard and on top of a mountain, revealing that he’d been in a tropical location just days before but was loving playing in the snow.
“Got pulled out of retirement,” he wrote, thanking Hallmark for the experience. “10+ years since I’ve been on a (snow)board.”
Walker and Troy, who’s new to skiing, also hit the slopes at Deer Valley Resort. She shared an Instagram photo of the two of them in their ski gear, saying her husband had been a great teacher and that they “ended up doing about 10 runs together and we finished the day smiling.” Walker also participated in his first gated race, placing second, with other Hallmark Channel attendees.
Meanwhile, just getting covered in snow was enough winter excitement for Chabert and Bennett, who shared a funny video of them holding hands, trying to coordinate a graceful fall backward into a snowbank. The longtime friends, who first met making the classic movie “Mean Girls,” were filmed by Chabert’s sister, Crissy, who had to assure the actress she’d be fine in the snow.
“This is what 19 years of friendship looks like, me convincing her it’s a ‘good idea,'” Bennett wrote.
The whole Hallmark crew also met up for a special private dinner at The Cabin, a popular restaurant and live music venue in Park City, with several stars posting pics of their fun night. After dinner, the roomful of stars and programmers sang “Happy Birthday” to Brown as a slice of cake with a candle was delivered to him in honor of his 41st birthday on January 26.
In an Instagram photo Williams posted of him enjoying his dessert, she wrote, “Happy stinking birthday to this ol lug. Eat alllll the cake today!”
Stars’ Spouses Share Inside Peeks & Gratitude for ‘Incredible’ Trip
While the stars loved their winter getaway together, their guests may have loved it even more, as they shared fun photos and videos throughout the trip. Brown’s wife, Amanda, posted an Instagram video featuring highlights of the getaway.
“Not even sure how to put into words what an incredible time we had in Park City this week.” she wrote. “It was the trip I didn’t know I needed, not only was it such a treat to be there, this group of people….warm, funny, interesting, inspiring, kind, generous…I could go on and on. It felt like being plugged in to an energy source. We are so grateful & miss everyone already! Thank you @hallmark for helping us make these priceless memories.”
Walker’s wife, Cassandra Troy, also chronicled their trip in her Instagram Stories, including a pic of her, Walker and Hynes –who happens to be her real-life cousin — in white robes, captioning the photo, “Post hot tub fireside chats are the best with these two.”
She also shared a photo of herself with Hynes, dressed in cozy sweaters and hats, writing about her gratitude for getting to hang out with him on the Hallmark trip.
“If you told me 10 years ago that I’d get to see and hang out with my cousin this much for WORK I’d never believe you,” she wrote. “What a gift our time together is, and what an incredible leading man he is @Hallmark. So freaking proud of you @tyler_hynes”
Her Stories also showed Walker, Hynes and Brown partaking in a whiskey tasting at Nelson Cottage one night. Meanwhile, Williams shared a funny video of her husband chugging an entire beer at Wasatch Brewery before they headed to the airport.
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Hallmark Stars Meet Up for Fun Winter Getaway: All the Details