The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum will host the annual Railfest Sept. 7-9. It begins with a kickoff concert on Friday, Sept. 7, at 5:30 p.m., with 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 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 894-8028. Parking is free at the museum, at 4119 Cromwell Road.