Hallmark Channel’s ‘Winterfest’ Launches In January With Five New Original Movies
The Hallmark Channel has been running cheerful and merry holiday movies nonstop since late October as part of its “Countdown to Christmas” promotion, but fans of the network’s sweet, romantic films will still be able to get their fix in the new year when “Winterfest” arrives in January.
The cable channel will debut five warm and fuzzy winter-themed movies every Saturday and one Friday night at 8 p.m. during the first month of 2019, according to a press release from the Hallmark Channel posted on the Futon Critic website.
The first all-new movie, Winter Castle, will premiere on Saturday, January 5. In the film, Jenny (Chesapeake Shore’s Emilie Ullerup) arrives solo at an ice hotel for her sister’s wedding. The bride hoped to set up her single sibling with her husband-to-be’s best man, Craig (Heartland’s Kevin McGarry), but he shows up with a date who is all wrong for him. As Jenny and Craig constantly get thrown together for wedding-related events — including ice sculpting, dog sledding, and snow tubing — how much longer can they keep fighting their obvious chemistry?
Cara (The Originals’ Taylor Cole) and Ben (Stitchers’ Jack Turner) fell in love at a ski resort one year ago and are now hoping that their friends, Megan (Van Helsing’s Rukiya Bernard) and Sean (The Strain’s Dewshane Williams), will do the same in One Winter Proposal, premiering on January 12. Also, will Ben pop the question to Cara during the trip?
The one Friday film — A Winter Princess, airing on January 18 — features Carly (Charmed’s Natalie Hall) working undercover to plan Snowden Peak’s Snow Ball with Jesse (Altered Carbon’s Chris McNally). But when her twin brother, Prince Gustav, comes to town, her royal background may get exposed. But that may be a good thing after all as she and Jesse need to raise money in order to save the resort they work at.
The following night, January 19, Winter Love Story has two authors teaming up for a road trip to promote their new books. At the beginning of the tour, first-time novelist Cassie (Days of Our Lives’ Jen Lilley) thinks veteran writer Elliot (Kevin McGarry in his second “Winterfest” flick) is pompous and full of himself, but she soon finds herself falling in love with him. Can they write a happy future together?
The last new movie on the Hallmark Channel’s “Winterfest” schedule is Snowcoming, which will air on January 26. The film has Samantha (The Librarians’ Lindy Booth) returning to her hometown for her football coach father’s retirement. However, running into her high school sweetheart Jake (90210‘s Trevor Donovan), who is now a famous quarterback, wasn’t part of her plan. There is still some heat between the former lovers, but can it last? Former football players Ed Marinaro and Joe Theismann co-star.
