A celebration is being planned for this December in Three Oaks to mark the 35th anniversary of the release of Prancer, a 1989 film that was shot in the village.

PrancerPalooza will take place December 14 in Three Oaks, with a continuation of festivities the next day in La Porte, Indiana. The Three Oaks event will feature a parade, screenings of the film, holiday treats offered by downtown businesses, and a life-sized stuffed reindeer for photo opportunities.

Prancer Director John Hancock tells us he and the film’s producer together settled on Three Oaks and La Porte as the place to shoot Prancer.

“She and I went and looked at various locations,” Hancock said. “We looked in and around Toronto and Montreal and upstate New York. But I always had this in mind and I brought her to our farm here and showed her the farm and showed her Three Oaks and she thought that this was the best place to do it. So that’s how it came here.”

Hancock’s farm is in La Porte, but he says he’s long been a fan of Southwest Michigan. He says the village of Three Oaks was supportive of the film crew being in town.

“We shot it on a farm that my family owned, so the farm was easy. And none of these permissions were hard. This area is so receptive to film and so great to make a film that everybody cooperated and everything fell into place. It was very pleasant, so pleasant shooting here that I’ve made four or five more pictures here. So, I got hooked on the local area.”

Prancer does feature locals of Three Oaks, and they’ll be celebrated during PrancerPalooza.

“One of the things that Three Oaks is doing that I think is great is they’re going to have a Walk of Fame. Anybody who crossed in the background of a shot or had a small part is going to either have their footprints on the sidewalk, or if it snows I think on the wall next to the sidewalk, so that we can celebrate all the local talent.”

Hancock says Prancer stars Sam Elliott and Rebecca Harrell will be on hand for PrancerPalooza, even riding in the parade. He’s looking forward to seeing them.

Also as part of PrancerPalooza, the Region of Three Oaks Museum will display the miniature replica of Three Oaks created for the film’s final shot — a Santa’s-eye view of the village — at Three Oaks Heritage Hall.

Hancock says it’s wonderful that people in the area still appreciate and want to celebrate his film.

Stay tuned for more details as the holidays approach.