By Becky Petchenik
Aug 8, 2013. For 56 years, North Carolina’s oldest theme park, Tweetsie Railroad, has brought joy and laughter to the High Country with its Western themed fun and entertainment. This weekend on Aug. 10 and 11, Tweetsie Railroad will host the Grammy Award winning quartet Riders in the Sky. Their particular brand of Western music is entertaining for children and adults alike. Rife with comedy and authenticity and paying tribute to the minstrel cowboy serials of the 1930s, Riders in the Sky have been featured in “Toy Story 2” and the Pixar short, “For the Birds.”
Riders in the Sky was formed in 1977 by original members Ranger Doug, Woody Paul and Too Slim. Riders in the Sky are prolific band if there ever was one. To date, they have released 32 studio albums with five garnering national acclaim. They have performed at the Grand Ole Opry, written and performed numerous Christmas specials on TNN and CMT and have over 6,200 live performances under their belt. Often cited as a children’s band, the group offers wholesome comedy and accessible music that children and young people can enjoy right along with adults and parents.
“Once the quartet starts singing,” according to Tweetsie, “Visitors are mesmerized by the harmony of the musical cowboys.”
The group will perform old favorites, traditional Western folk songs and original material from their 2002 Tweetsie-themed album, “Ridin’ The Tweetsie Railroad.” Park visitors can also expect to hear songs like “Woody’s Roundup,” the Grammy Award winning song from “Toy Story 2.”
Tweetsie Railroad Park will be open seven days a week through Aug 18 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The park will return to their weekend schedule from Aug. 19 through the end of the 2013 season on Sunday, Nov. 3. The park will also be open on Labor Day Monday. Daily Admission is $37 for adults, $23 for children ages 3 through 12 and children 2 and under are admitted for free.
Tweetsie’s Ghost Train Halloween Festival will take place Friday and Saturday nights, Sept. 27 through Nov. 2 from 7:30 p.m to 11:30 p.m.
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