Xmas lights used on Independence Square for Chiefs Hallmark movie available as ornaments
Update: The ornaments have sold out as of Thursday, but more might be available on Nov. 30 during the square’s Shop Small Saturday event.
If you visited the historic Independence Square in the dead of summer, you would have seen the place lit up like Christmas with lights on the buildings and holiday decorations all around.
And if you were there then, you might have been trying to get a peek at the actors and crews filming a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie.
For several weeks in July, the square served as backdrop for scenes in “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” which debuts Saturday, Nov. 30.
After the movie crews left, the Independence Square Association replaced more than 6,000 bulbs used to outline the buildings.
Now 1,000 of those bulbs have been turned into Christmas ornaments being sold as keepsakes of the square’s Hollywood moment.
The proceeds will go toward offsetting the Independence Square Association’s holiday decorating expenses. The nonprofit group works to promote and preserve the city’s historic downtown business area.
The square hosts its annual — for real — holiday lighting on Friday.
“As a nonprofit historic preservation organization, we appreciate the support we are receiving from Hallmark movie fans,” said the association’s executive director, Jeff Rogers.
“These ornaments are a way to preserve the memories of a locally-made movie and they help us preserve the place where memories have been made for nearly 200 years.”
Each ornament features the square’s logo — which you might see on banners in the movie — and tiny stocking caps.
They cost $10 and as of Wednesday, 700 were left.
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The Hallmark holiday love story was filmed in several locations in Independence and around Kansas City, including GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Hunter King plays Alana Higman, who is certain that her family’s lifelong history as Chiefs superfans makes them a shoe-in to win the team’s “Fan of the Year” contest.
Tyler Hynes plays Derrick, the team’s director of fan engagement, who must evaluate how Alana’s family stacks up against other finalists. No surprise — they fall for each other.
When a lucky vintage Chiefs hat belonging to Alana’s grandfather, played by Ed Begley Jr., goes missing, her faith in fate, destiny, even a possible future with Derrick, is shaken.
Chiefs Kingdom will recognize many faces in the movie. Donna Kelce, mother of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is slated to appear. Coach Andy Reid and Chiefs players Trey Smith, Mecole Hardman Jr., Clyde Edwards-Helaire and George Karlaftis made cameo appearances.
The square is becoming a popular cinematic backdrop. The square and several of its merchants starred in a promotional video the team made ahead of last year’s NFL playoffs that looked like a trailer for a Hallmark Christmas movie.
The turnaround for the real Hallmark movie was quick. The Kansas City Chiefs announced on June 25 that they had joined with Hallmark, the NFL and Skydance Sports to make a Chiefs love story.
Independence knew before that announcement that the square would be a filming location. But folks there had weeks, not months, to prepare the place.
The bulb ornaments are available online at indepsquare.com/store. Or you can buy them at the association’s office, 106 S. Liberty St., Independence. The office is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 10:10 AM.
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