By Nathan Ham
Crowds will be lining up to catch a ride on the train when Tweetsie Railroad opens the gates this weekend for the first time in 2018.
Opening Day for North Carolina’s longest-running theme park is officially scheduled for Friday, April 6 at 9 a.m.
This will be Tweetsie’s 61st year in operation, dating back to the very first trip by the No. 12 train on July 4, 1957.
Tweetsie Railroad is more than just a train ride. The park offers lots of other exciting rides, as well as the Deer Park Zoo, arcade games, clogging shows, Can-Can girls and the chance to hang out with some cowboys and cowgirls.
This year will be another busy one at the park with 10 special events at the park, starting with David Holt and the Lightning Bolts in concert on Saturday, May 26 at noon and 3 p.m.
Thomas the Tank Engine will return to Tweetsie June 8-17. This event is very popular so buying tickets in advance is required.
The annual Fireworks Extravaganza will light up the mountainside on July 4. Fireworks will start at 9:30 p.m.
Tweetsie Railroad’s Cool Summer Nights takes place each Saturday in July (July 7, 14, 21, 28) as a getaway from the daytime heat.
SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star come to the park for three days, July 13-15 with three appearances each day (11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.).
The ever-popular K-9s in Flight Frisbee Dogs will be at Tweetsie from July 21-29 with shows each day at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. as well as two special Saturday evening shows at 7 p.m.
Riders in the Sky, America’s Favorite Cowboys, will be playing Western music and showing off their comedy skills at noon and 3 p.m. on August 11-12.
The final event of the summer will be the annual Railroad Heritage Weekend slated for August 25-26. This year’s weekend will be even more special as Tweetsie will be celebrating the 75th birthday of Locomotive No. 190, the Yukon Queen.
The last four months of the year are sure to be just as busy as the previous few months with the Ghost Train and Tweetsie Christmas. The Ghost Train is one of the most popular events in the High Country and has been named one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. The Ghost Train will be in town from September 21 until October 27 on Friday and Saturday nights.
Tweetsie Christmas will enter its second year after a very successful opening year in 2017. From November 23 through December 29, the park will be a winter wonderland with a train ride through beautiful Christmas lights as well as a visit with Santa and numerous other Christmas events.
Tickets for both the Ghost Train and Tweetsie Christmas should be purchased in advance to ensure admission to the park.
Daytime admission for adults is $45 and $30 for children ages 3-12. The Ghost Train and Tweetsie Christmas will be $38 for adults and children.
If you are planning a visit to the park, Tweetsie’s website offers a plenty of great information on show schedules, special events, group tickets and a lot more.
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