HGTV’s digital home, lifestyle, and travel, platform recently posted a piece on “Must-Visit Small-Town Movie Sets Across America“. Oregon was showcased twice in the piece, highlighting both St. Helens and Brownsville. The Oregon Film Trail an initiative produced through Oregon Film’s non-profit, the Oregon Made Creative Foundation) was also mentioned.
St. Helens hosts a 6-week festival every fall that celebrates the beloved Disney movie, Halloweentown (1988) and Summit Entertainment’s Twilight (2008), and more recently all things Halloween and fall-related. Both movies are beloved by fans and there is something for everyone at the Spirit of Halloweentown Festival. Twilight fans can even book the Airbnb, Swan Twilight House, the house Bella called home, and where she lived with her father.
The charming small town of Brownsville has not changed a whole lot since its starring role as “Castle Rock” in the coming-of-age classic, Stand By Me (1986). Every July 23rd the town celebrates and puts on a much-loved fan festival, Stand By Me Day. Film tourists come from all over the world to walk in the footsteps of Geordie, Vern, Chris, and Teddy, take part in the blueberry pie eating contest, listen to the 1950s acapella group, and discover exact scene locations among other events. It is an excellent day out and often ends with a screening of the movie outdoors in the town park.
Did you know Oregon has a Film Trail? There are 42 signs across all of Oregon’s tourism regions and hundreds of movie scene locations ready to be discovered (hint: use the SetJetters app to locate them all). The Oregon Film Trail celebrates communities that have been home to dozens of movies or TV shows.
