Trains featured in nostalgic holiday trip

Published 12:23 pm Friday, December 1, 2017

COURTLAND
Remembering — or recreating — Christmases of yesteryear is an ever-popular theme this time of year. For those of you who yearn to experience such a feeling, you’re on the right track when you come to the Southampton Agriculture and Forestry Museum this Saturday.

Lanterns will illuminate the scene to help set the mood. That’s when the place will be prepared for children and adults to enjoy trains, treats and a tree.

“Nostalgic Christmas” will be on Dec. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is either $1 or a canned food per person for the local Food Bank. Any money collected will also go to that organization.

Four setups with 10 model trains running at once will be featured and operated by local enthusiasts such as Al Briggs, Dennis Burgess and Bill Vick, to name a few. Children will not be able to operate the trains this time, but can get an IOU for another opportunity at a different time.

The Polar Express electric train will be going round and round on one level, moving past lighted buildings in the landscape. Briggs added that the movie, “The Polar Express,” will be shown in part of the building.

Courtesy of Hoyle Green, he’ll operate a train that children can ride outside around the museum,

Youngsters will also be able to pop popcorn and use it to decorate a tree that’s been brought in beside a fireplace, where the stockings are hung with care.

Cookies and hot cocoa will be offered as refreshments. Coupons for mini-Blizzards at Dairy Queen will be offered.

Oh, and Santa Claus will be a guest. How could we forget?

For more information, call Briggs at 653-8485.