It was such a Buffalo moment when the barista at the festively decorated Elm Street Bakery called out orders for a Josh Gingerbread Latt-Allen and a Sugar Cookie Gilchrist Cappuccino.
What came next, then, was more like a dream for Bills鈥 fans as former players Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed and Scott Norwood walked up to claim their milkshakes, drawing a gasp from a young woman who enthusiastically called them 鈥渓egends.鈥 That was actress Holland Rodan and it was all part of a scene being filmed in the restaurant for the new Hallmark original movie 鈥淗oliday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story.鈥
Buffalo Bills alumni Andre Reed, left, Thurman Thomas and Scott Norwood film a scene with Holland Roden and Matthew Daddario in Elm Street Bakery in East Aurora for Hallmark's "Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story."
Thomas, Reed and Norwood are among Bills players, alumni and staff who have cameos in the film about two neighboring families of lifelong Bills fans, the search for a mysterious benefactor and how two childhood friends finally find romance. At a nearby table during filming at Elm Street Bakery was Bills co-owner Kim Pegula, who will be in a background scene. Other Bills personnel who will make cameos are coach Sean McDermott, plus Dion Dawkins, a fan of the Hallmark movies (鈥淭he season doesn鈥檛 pass without watching Hallmark,鈥 Dawkins said), Damar Hamlin, DeWayne Carter, Ray Davis, Dawson Knox, Reid Ferguson and Joshua Palmer.
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Filming, which started locally on May 19, is wrapping production on Wednesday in East Aurora. Over the past three weeks, filming has taken place in Chestnut Ridge Park, Oishei Children鈥檚 Hospital, Canalside, Highmark Stadium and its surrounding neighborhood, and homes in Elma and Lockport.
Plans for Tuesday are to re-create East Aurora鈥檚 historic Carolcade, an event where hundreds annually fill Main Street singing Christmas carols. Parking will be restricted all day on Main Street between Elm/Riley streets and Olean Road and that area will be closed to traffic from 2 p.m. to midnight.
About 200 extras are expected for the Carolcade scene, said Kyle Mecca, co-founder of Casting Buffalo, which is helping organize the extras including 2,000 of the Bills Mafia who were in the stands for scenes at Highmark Stadium. For Mecca, the Hallmark movie feels like 鈥渄estiny.鈥
鈥淏uffalo is having its own Hallmark moment with 鈥楬oliday Touchdown.鈥 Years of ups and downs in the film industry, and in sports, there鈥檚 finally a spark. And this production has culminated in the stars aligning at the right moment in time. Buffalo has become a desired destination,鈥 Mecca said.
It was the first time a film has been made at Elm Street Bakery, and it was exciting for co-owner Kim DePerno. She said she found similar values in her business and the network. 鈥淗allmark represents family, and the bakery is a community gathering place where families come together. I feel like it鈥檚 a perfect set for a Hallmark movie,鈥 she said.
DePerno was equally thrilled that a former employee, Sawyer Oubre, who worked at the restaurant while he was in high school, was the Steadicam operator on the movie. Oubre also worked on the Oscar-winning film 鈥淎nora.鈥
East Aurora native Sawyer Oubre returned to Elm Street Bakery, where he worked during high school, as the Steadicam operator for the Hallmark movie "Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story."聽
鈥淚t feels like it鈥檚 coming full circle,鈥 she said of seeing Oubre back in the bakery.
While the owners of Elm Street Bakery, Bar-Bill and Vidler鈥檚 5 & 10 knew their interiors would be used in the film, others along the Main Street business district readied their windows and exteriors last week without knowing if they would be in the movie.
鈥淲e took it on ourselves to decorate our store and front windows so that we鈥檙e possibly part of it. And we wanted to support the community,鈥 said Scott Perry, who co-owns the Aurora Sewing Center with his sister Alyssa McDonell, who is a Hallmark fan.
鈥淕ive me a snowy day that I don鈥檛 have to work and I鈥檒l stay home and watch Hallmark all day,鈥 McDonell laughed. 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e very big Bills fans, so why not be a part of all of it?鈥
Their windows were filled with oversized gift boxes, quilts and pillows. Items were made in holiday and team colors or in specialty Buffalo and sports fabrics they designed themselves. Later, an employee asked McDonell if she had hired someone to put up lights. The answer was no. It was the film crew wrapping lights on their railing, so they felt their efforts had been noticed.
At Eight x Eight boutique, owner Nicole Moss had pulled out holiday lights, snowflakes and garland to decorate the windows. Mannequins in summer outfits were removed to be dressed in appropriate winter clothing from the outfits she created after reading suggested attire for extras.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all putting our own decorations up so that we can be a part of it in some way,鈥 Moss said about the filming. 鈥淚 hope they see how excited people are and how the businesses and everyone is getting into it and helping to support it. Maybe it will bring them back for more movies.鈥
That enthusiasm from the merchants is being mirrored by Hallmark. Samantha DiPippo, senior vice president of programming for Hallmark Media, calls the past three weeks in Buffalo 鈥渢he best experience.鈥
鈥淲e now fully understand why Buffalo is known as the City of Good Neighbors. Residents and businesses alike have welcomed us with open arms, and we are beyond grateful,鈥 DiPippo said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e loved being part of the community and to experience the enthusiasm for the movie firsthand 鈥 this is as special as a movie gets for us and we can鈥檛 wait for everyone to see it when it premieres during this year鈥檚 Countdown to Christmas.鈥
Director Dustin Rikert, center, talks with Buffalo Bills alumni Thurman Thomas, Scott Norwood and Andre Reed as makeup artist Eric Wilson does touch ups between shots at Elm Street Bakery.
鈥淗oliday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story鈥 stars Roden (鈥淗olidazed,鈥 鈥淭een Wolf鈥), Daddario (鈥淪hadowhunters鈥), Tracy Pollan, (鈥淣atalee Holloway,鈥 鈥淔amily Ties鈥), Steve Schirripa (鈥淏lue Bloods,鈥 鈥淭he Sopranos鈥), Joe Pantoliano (鈥淭he Sopranos鈥), Caroline Aaron (鈥淕hosts鈥) and Patti Murin (Broadway鈥檚 鈥淔rozen鈥).
It is directed by Dustin Rikert and produced by Andrew Gernhard, who both filmed 鈥淎 Newport Christmas鈥 here for Hallmark in April. The two movies will premiere during Hallmark鈥檚 16th annual 鈥淐ountdown to Christmas鈥 holiday programming later this year.
鈥淎 Bills Love Story鈥 is the second movie Hallmark has produced with the NFL. In 2024, 鈥淗oliday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story鈥 was a ratings hit, becoming the most-watched cable movie of the year with nearly 3 million viewers.
