How a KC design firm helped put the tinsel on Hallmark’s new town square experience

Saturday’s star-studded premiere for the Hallmark movie “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” at Crown Center won’t be the only hometown Christmas tie-in at the sprawling Hallmark Christmas Experience.

Custom fabrication by Dimensional Innovations helps create a “town square” filled with local makers at the Hallmark Christmas Experience; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Kansas City-built Dimensional Innovations plays a key role in the season-long holiday celebration, which kicks off with the TV movie — filmed over the summer in Independence in partnership with the Kansas City Chiefs — but continues for weeks thanks to DI’s collaboration.

Click here to explore the Hallmark Christmas Experience, an immersive Crown Center attraction designed to bring the spirit of Christmas and the beloved charm of Hallmark movies to life. It debuts Friday and runs through Dec. 23.

“The movie premiere will definitely provide some buzz,” noted Spencer Farley, entertainment and retail practice director at Dimensional Innovations. “Our focus has really been what they’re calling ‘the town square experience.’ Trying to make it as immersive as possible — similar to a small-town, Hallmark Christmas movie square — and have that look and feel to it.”

In partnership with Hallmark, Bay Laurel, and Superfly, the project makes use of DI’s renowned custom fabrication, installation, and design-development talents to create a variety of photo opportunities, themed activations, and festive facades for vendor pop-ups throughout the holiday experience.

“DI does work across the country and just it feels a little more special doing work close to home,” Farley said. “It’s special for our employees — that are going to be working on it, designing it, building it, installing it — to just be able to take their families, their friends, their kids down there to show the different things that we’re working on.”

Coloring in the details

The scene at the Hallmark Christmas Experience notably features daily tree-lighting displays, gift-wrapping stations, festive food and drinks, and local vendors.

Click here to see which Kansas City vendors are appearing at the Holiday Christmas Experience, including Annie Austen, Brown Suga, The Modest Mallow, and Made Mobb.

RELATED: Where to (pop-up) shop: Your guide to KC holiday markets featuring local makers

Custom fabrication by Dimensional Innovations helps create a “town square” filled with local makers at the Hallmark Christmas Experience; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

“There’s a really cool activation that we’re helping with that’s a card-sending station where — all the supplies are down there — and you’re able to write out a holiday card to whoever and address it,” Farley explained. “And then Hallmark takes care of the postage and sends it off from the holiday Christmas Experience for you.”

“There’s an activation with Crayola, as well,” he added, “ for all members of the family to be able to decorate the (community) wreath.”

Those two town square experiences, plus the Christmas market and tree lighting, will be free, but ice skating and the light walk will require paid admission.

Individual event tickets are available for a variety of activities and programs throughout the Hallmark Christmas Experience, including for a Christmas Chalet pop-up bar and A Look Behind the Lens and Reindeer Games with various Hallmark movie stars that will be visiting each weekend.

“We’ve heard that they’ve sold tickets to 40 plus states around the country,” Farley noted. “Just shows how impressive the Hallmark IP is and the Hallmark movie fans throughout the country that want to come in and experience this, as well.”

Fabrication work by Dimensional Innovations on display at the Hallmark Christmas Experience; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Merry memories

Bringing people together to celebrate and connect is central to Hallmark’s brand, especially during the holiday season, said Lindsey Roy, senior vice president of brand development for Hallmark.

Spencer Farley, Dimensional Innovations

“Collaborating with Dimensional Innovations, another Kansas City-based company, has allowed us to infuse our shared creativity and local pride into this experience,” she said. “We’re thrilled to see our combined efforts create a space where families and friends can find joy and make lasting memories together in a truly Hallmark way.”

Even before Dimensional Innovations began collaborating on the experience, Farley held a special place in his heart for Crown Center during the holiday season, he said.

It’s his own lasting tie to the Christmas spirit the brands hope to reflect with the holiday installation.

“I actually proposed to my wife in front of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree in December of ’19,” he said. “So this project is cool just to keep that memory going.”