MONTROSE, Pa. — This past weekend's Christmas in Montrose festival was the most successful it has ever been, and this comes after the borough in Susquehanna County got some national attention over the last few weeks.
Montrose was named the "number one town in Pennsylvania that makes you feel like you're in a Hallmark Christmas Movie."
Seneca Savich was born and raised in Montrose. She is on the town's Christmas Committee and has a big role in making every last inch of the borough look and feel like a Hallmark movie set all season long.
"I said when I started seven years ago, I wanted it to feel like a Hallmark Christmas movie because I love Hallmark. So the fact that we were named the number one town was like the coolest thing ever. I wanted people to have that warm fuzzy feeling when they're walking through the streets, feel like they're coming home for Christmas," she said.
The writer from the travel destination website, Travel Awaits, who ranked those eleven Pennsylvania towns and put Montrose at number one, stayed at the Rosemont Inn while she was in town, so workers there are thrilled to see that number one spot. The 12 rooms at the bed and breakfast are already selling out for next Christmas because of it.
"Each time we find ourselves in an article or a news event, then we get more and more people coming in and wanting to book for the weekend, so it brings a lot of tourists into the area," said Penny Eldred, the innkeeper at The Rosemont Inn.
And of course, business owners love tourists, not just for the annual Christmas in Montrose event, but all Christmas season long. When tourists come to town, they stop at the Susquehanna County Historical Society in the borough. And even there, you are welcomed with Christmas cheer.
"It's just so rewarding to hear people say, 'I've never been here before.' This is really, really wonderful, it's good for us, it's good for everyone," said Curator Betty Smith, Susquehanna County Historical Society.
And folks in Montrose say the only thing that will make this town feel more like a Hallmark movie is a little bit of snow!
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