FREEPORT, ILLINOIS — Here’s an opportunity for Freeport’s dreams to come true. The popular television network HGTV is currently on the search for a small community (ahem, Freeport) to receive a complete makeover of an entire municipality, from single-family homes to public parks and more.
On Wednesday, the network announced an upcoming spinoff of its hit series Home Town, in which hosts Erin and Ben Napier will spearhead the renovation in a series that will span six episodes, and completely rennovate an entire town.
The best news for Freeport? The towns up for consideration must have a population of 40,000 or less, which just so happens to fit Freeport perfectly. And from now until Friday, February 7, fans can nominate their town to be the one featured on Home Town Takeover at HGTVHomeTownTakeover.com.
Submissions require a video tour of the village itself, with a focus on the buildings and areas that might need the most sprucing up, as well as stories from locals and photos that point to what’s special about that particular area.
“Renovating one house at a time is an awesome experience, but the chance to support an entire town, where we can help bring a community back to life and enhance the lives of the people who live and work there, is something we’ve always wanted to try,” host Ben Napier said in a statement.
So let’s nominate Freeport. We’ll kick it off with a donation of our time to film an entire video tour, if anyone out there wants to donate their time (be a show host) to explain the parts of Freeport that we’d like to show to HGTV on camera. We’ll put together an entire piece and submit it to HGTV by February 4th. (7th actually, see correction below)
Or just gather some photos and put together a short video yourself and submit it here.
Here’s your chance Freeport for a HGTV Hometown makeover, and while you’re thinking about all the possibilities, tell us a part of Freeport that YOU think would be a great aspect to show the folks at HGTV.
- What are the areas that might need the most sprucing up?
- What’s special about Freeport?
- What stories can we tell about a particular area of Freeport both past and present, and what got us here?
- What homes with great architecture can we show?
- A place that you think needs a makeover. i.e. a diner, coffee shop, home or playground.
- A tour around town—the places that need help and the people who love this town.
- Anywhere your town needs love and what you love about it.
Correction, the application deadline is Friday, February 7, not Tuesday, February 4 as mentioned previously.