For the first time, an B.C. film and television production back lot, with false-front buildings that have been used to simulate everything from New York City to small-town America, will be opening its doors to the public for Christmas.
The Martini Town Merry and Bright event, in LangleyB次元官网网址檚 Aldergrove community, will be open Wednesdays to Sundays from Dec. 1 to Jan. 1 (as well as Boxing Day and New YearB次元官网网址檚 Day) with tickets purchased in advance at , and a portion of proceeds going to the Langley Food Bank.
There will be no gate sales.
Built in 2020 and operated by LangleyB次元官网网址檚 Martini Film Studios, the standing outdoor set covers approximately six acres of a 17-acre site on 272nd Street south of 16th Avenue.
It includes a New York-style street, a movie theatre with a lit marquee, coffee shop, urban alley, courthouse, diner, town square and a quaint small town.
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All will be dressed up with lights and Christmas decorations for the holidays by industry crafts people, and there will be live entertainment,including Santa, carolers, and choruses, along with booths for local vendors. But there will only be two food trucks, to encourage people to dine in Aldergrove, explained Michael Zizek, Martini event planner.
Zizek expects it will become an annual event.
B次元官网网址淭he industry always shuts down for the last two weeks of December,B次元官网网址� Zizek said.
B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檙e going to build this into our calendar for the future, that we donB次元官网网址檛 book productions in for the first two weeks of December. The last two weeks are typically dark anyway in the industry so we can make this an ongoing public event.B次元官网网址�
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By using reservations and not permitting drop-ins, it allow organizers to limit capacity to assure a good experience for visitors, Zizek explained.
B次元官网网址漈hereB次元官网网址檚 no crowd, no congestion points, when you want people to actually have the opportunity to take a family photo on those brownstone steps and send it to their friends.B次元官网网址�
Dozens of productions have come to Martini Town since it opened.
B次元官网网址淲e talked to the production companies that do work here in B.C.,B次元官网网址� Zizek told the Langley Advance Times.
B次元官网网址淸We asked them] what are you looking for? What are the building facades that are missing from the Vancouver area? And thatB次元官网网址檚 why we have the New York brownstone-themed street; we donB次元官网网址檛 have a lot of brick buildings here in Vancouver. And then we also added the courthouse and the small town this year.B次元官网网址�
Zizek described the holiday event as an opportunity to show what B次元官网网址渨hat film does for our economy, and what film does for jobs, and whatB次元官网网址檚 being done here right in our own backyard.B次元官网网址�
During the past two years, Hallmark films have shot dozens of productions at the Aldergrove site.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e done some commercials, Netflix series have been filmed there, and weB次元官网网址檙e really hoping, especially [with] the additional assets that we added this year, that more TV shows and series will take advantage of this great facility.B次元官网网址�
Adults pay $22, seniors $18, children 6-12 $12 (six years and under free) and a family pack (two adults, two kids) goes for $60.
On Dec. 2, for an additional fee, visitors can take part in an immersive Hallmark fan expo, featuring a with seven actors in Hallmark movies, including Benjamin Ayres, Julia Benson, Peter Benson, Paul Campbell, Antonio Cupo, Ali Liebert, Kimberly Sustad, and Victor Webster.
Zizek said there are still a few vacancies for local vendors, and anyone interested should contact them through the website, .
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