Lifetime Christmas movie, five others are being filmed in this Kentucky city this year

Lindsay Smith

If you drive through Somerset anytime soon, you might end up catching a glimpse of something you usually don’t see.

That’s because for the next six months or so, Somerset will be home to a film set for six different movies. The first, Lifetime’s “Christmas at the Amish Bakery,” wrapped earlier this month, and the second one has already begun filming.

“We really have an opportunity to try to get some new eyes on Kentucky, especially the rural communities,” Leslie Ikerd, Somerset’s director of tourism, said.

So, how did Somerset get involved in these movies? Ikerd said it all started with a phone call from a friend.

“Back in November of [2022], I got a call from a friend of mine that lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., and this movie company had just wrapped doing a film down there,” she said.

She said due to a recent state initiative to film more movies and television in Kentucky, filmmakers have been looking at the commonwealth more than ever before.

The Kentucky Entertainment Incentive Program’s mission is to “choose locations in the Commonwealth for the filming and production of motion picture or entertainment productions.” The project has $75 million in tax credits to give annually to media productions that qualify.

Ikerd’s friend recommended the company look at Somerset, and Ikerd was sent an email asking to meet with a producer. The producer for “Christmas at the Amish Bakery” was given a tour to see the community’s hot spots, then in mid-January, he let the city know he was interested. The movie began filming Feb. 1.

“In tourism world, we do festivals and events here, and we plan things maybe more than a year [out], so I guess that was my first taste of, ‘This is going to move quickly,’” Ikerd said.

A true Somerset project

The Somerset community was involved in multiple ways during filming.

“The community just really showed up and did great, you know, offering to let people use their homes, their cars, whatever was needed. People really have rolled out the red carpet ... to the film company,” Ikerd said.

Community members were also able to be extras in the film, Ikerd said, which isn’t easy work.

“It usually is a 12- to 14-hour day. You might sit there all day and never be used or you might be in all day. It’s a pretty big sacrifice of someone’s time,” she said.

There have been hundreds responses to extra calls, Ikerd said, which she thinks goes to show just how much the community cares about these projects.

Ikerd said the movies have been able to shine a new light on Somerset, which has always been known as a lake town. The city sits just west of the Daniel Boone National Forest and on the edge of Lake Cumberland.

“I love that Somerset is being looked at in this new way,” Ikerd said. “To be able to see through the lens through movies, that’s another thing we can boast about on our resume of things we have accomplished here.”

With a population of around 12,000, Somerset is a small community. Ikerd said that makes the economic impact of filming even more important for the area.

“The economic impact of bringing all these new people in, you know, they’re staying in our hotels, in our Airbnbs, and they’re eating the food, getting the gas, you know, becoming a part of the community,” Ikerd said. “Really leaving that economic impact in these small communities really does make a difference.”

‘Christmas at the Amish Bakery’ and more

While the release date has not been announced yet, Ikerd said the Lifetime network film is expected to air around November.

Here are some notable spots around Somerset you’ll see when watching “Christmas at the Amish Bakery”:

  • Haney’s Appledale Farm

  • Bear Wallow Farms

  • City of Somerset’s energy center

  • The 5th Quarter

  • Serendipity at the Orange Door

There were also several Airbnbs used during filming. The main house is a five-bedroom farmhouse you can view on Airbnb’s website.

Details for the next five films have not yet been released, but Ikerd said the one currently filming is a romantic comedy.

Correction: This article was updated at 4:17 p.m. April 17 to correct a misspelling of Haney’s Appledale Farm.

Do you have a question about pop culture in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.

Advertisement