First Arrivals
Doors open as the early guests cross the velvet — nominees in the Music and Music in Film buckets, photographed against the HMFA crest before the press line fills.
On the Carpet
The night the season's storytellers walk the velvet together.
The HMFA red carpet is where recording artists, filmmakers, holiday-film stars, and community honorees arrive side by side — a single line of gold light before the ceremony begins. This is the evening as it unfolds, from first arrival to house lights.
The Carpet Gallery
Arrivals, portraits, and the glow in between.
Guest Highlights
How the evening moves, moment to moment.
The Press Line
A dedicated run of photographers and interviewers captures every honoree, with a quieter alcove reserved for Community Impact nominees and their organizations.
Reunions & Tributes
Past winners return to present, and the carpet becomes a gathering of the season's storytellers — composers, directors, and the artists behind the songs.
Who You'll See
The faces behind the season.
Recording Artists
Performers behind the year's most-played holiday songs and albums — the voices that score the season — arrive to perform live and to be honored across the Music categories.
Filmmakers & Directors
The directors, writers, and producers of the season's holiday features and shorts walk the carpet ahead of the Film and craft awards.
Holiday-Film Leads
On-screen talent from this year's most-watched holiday films — the faces audiences welcome back every December — take their turn on the velvet.
Composers & Music Supervisors
The artists who place the right song at the right moment, recognized in the Music in Film bucket, step into the spotlight they usually shape for others.
Community Leaders
Founders and volunteers from this year's Community Impact nominees share the carpet as equals — kindness honored as loudly as craft.
Presenters & Past Honorees
Returning winners and invited presenters lend the evening its continuity, carrying the HMFA legacy from one season to the next.
Sponsor Moments
On the carpet with our partners.
The HMFA carpet is made possible by partners who believe the holidays deserve a stage of their own. From the branded arrivals wall to the lounge where honorees gather between portraits, our sponsors are woven into the night — not bolted onto it.
Our 2026 carpet partners will be announced ahead of the ceremony. Brands that want to share the velvet with the season's most celebrated artists are invited to reach out to the HMFA partnerships team.
Behind the Scenes
Hours before the first flash.
Before a single guest arrives, the velvet is rolled and lit, the press line is marked, and the orchestra runs the night's live numbers one last time. The carpet you see is the calm after a long, careful afternoon — every cue rehearsed so the evening feels effortless.
Press Moments
Every story, told twice.
The HMFA press line gives every honoree two minutes that travel far — a portrait for the wires and a few words on the work that earned the nomination. For credentialing and interview requests, our media team coordinates the full carpet run.
Request press access →From the Carpet to the Stage
Every walk down the velvet starts with a single submission.
Browse the honorees who made it to the carpet, or put your own music, film, or community work forward for the next HMFA season.