Chattanooga, TN — The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is excited to announce the details of 2018 Railfest kickoff concert, which will be held on Friday Sept. 7. The Friday night event, which begins at 5:30 p.m., will include live musical performances, food vendors and exhibitors for $25. A VIP lounge, which includes food samplings and Chattanooga Whiskey and Hutton and Smith Brewing Company offerings, are available for $65 per person. Tickets for the Friday night event include entry to Railfest all weekend. The museum’s prized steam engines 630 and 4501 will be available for photos.
Railfest will continue on Saturday, Sept. 8, and Sunday, Sept. 9, with Missionary Ridge Local train rides both days, a Chickamauga Turn excursion ride on Saturday, and extended shop tours of the Soule Shops at East Chattanooga, which is available with an upgrade of the Railfest ticket.
In total, the weekend event — a colorful celebration of trains and railroading — will feature train rides, historic Southern Railway locomotives on site, live demonstrations and exhibitions, food vendors, visits to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s repair and restoration shop, and live music.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children ages 3 to 12 and includes daily admission to Railfest activities.
Railfest is TVRM’s celebration of the crucial role railroads played in the creation and development of the Chattanooga community. The music during Railfest represents the folk music traditions that influenced railroad and traveling songs.
For tickets and more information, visit online at tvrail.com or call 423-894-8028. Parking is free at the museum, located at 4119 Cromwell Road in Chattanooga.
The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is an educational, non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve railroading history for future generations. The museum is the southeast’s largest operating historical railroad and is celebrating more than 53 years in business.