Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
May 3, 2007 issue
Tweetsie Railroad Celebrates
50 Years of Family Fun in 2007
Theme Park Commemorates Golden Anniversary
Season Beginning May 4
Story by Sam Calhoun
North Carolina’s first theme park is celebrating a milestone in 2007—50 years of Wild West adventure and timeless family fun. Tweetsie Railroad invites you to celebrate the past, present and future during the park’s 2007 season that begins Friday, May 4. Nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Tweetsie will offer entertainment for the entire family during its golden anniversary season.
“We have four new rides this year and plenty of special events,” said Cathy Robbins, marketing director for Tweetsie Railroad. “[Tweetsie] is a great family attraction where families can come and have a great time. There’s a lot of family memories that can be made here at Tweetsie.”
The Wild West theme park features live shows, amusement rides, the Deer Park—the theme park’s petting zoo that contains deer, goats, pigs and lamas—concerts and much more. The heart of the park is the action-packed three-mile train ride behind Tweetsie Railroad’s historic steam locomotives. Visitors can walk the streets of a Western town, learn about the lives of cowboys and Indians of the past and take a scenic chair lift ride to Miner's Mountain and pan for gold.
Visitors of all ages can enjoy live entertainment including Diamond Lil’s Can-Can Revue, Hopper and Porter's Musical Celebration and the imaginative Professor Peppercorn's Magical Extravaganza. Tweetsie’s Country Clogging Jamboree is also sure to get your toes tapping.
One of Tweetsie Railroad’s 2007 additions will be The Hacienda, an all-new section of the park with a Southwest American theme. With a planned mid-2007 opening, The Hacienda is the park’s first major expansion in several years and will be home to Tweetsie Railroad concerts, special events and group functions, as well as new restaurants and restroom facilities.
The heart of The Hacienda will be The Den of Lost Thieves, an interactive pirate-themed ride. The 14-scene ride will feature interactive game elements, cartoon-style design, characters and music, colorful pirates and bristling British naval officers whose ship has been robbed of its treasure. The ride takes visitors on a chase through a secret island in search of the hidden treasure.
The Country Fair will get three new thrill rides this season: the Tornado, a new hands-on twirling attraction where riders control how slowly or quickly they want to spin; the Free Fall, an attraction perched on a ledge overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains that shoots riders up above the tree line followed by a 50-foot free fall; and the Round-Up, an attraction that takes park attendees in a circular motion using centrifugal force while simultaneously tilting for an exhilarating experience.
“Tweetsie fans are really going to enjoy the interactive nature and entertainment of these new rides and attractions,” said Chris Robbins, Tweetsie’s vice president and general manager. “As one of the most significant expansions in Tweetsie’s history, it’s fitting that it should happen during the 50th anniversary season when we’re celebrating the park’s past and future.”
Tweetsie Railroad will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting Friday, May 4, and seven days a week from May 25 through August 26 before returning to the weekend schedule from August 31 through November 4, including Labor Day Monday. The park's regular hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but will be open until 9:00 p.m. on July 4th and nightly during the Ghost Train Halloween Festival in October. In addition, the park will open at 8:00 a.m. each Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the popular Day Out With Thomas event.
Daily admission is $29 for adults and $21 for children ages 3 through 12. Children 2 and under are admitted free. The 2007 season ends Sunday, November 4.
For more information about the 2007 season at Tweetsie Railroad, call 828-264-9061 or 1-877-TWEETSIE or click to www.tweetsie.com.
Tweetsie’s 2007 Special Events
The 2007 season includes several special events at the park. Here’s a quick look at each one:
Day Out With Thomas™—June 1 to 10
Hop aboard with Thomas the Tank Engine™ as he chugs through the Blue Ridge Mountains. During Thomas' visit, children will have the opportunity to meet and take pictures with Sir Topham Hatt, listen to Thomas and Friends™ storytelling and tour Imagination Station. Advance tickets are required because this event frequently sells out.
Tweetsie’s Fireworks Extravaganza—Wednesday, July 4
Celebrate Independence Day with great family-friendly fun! Tweetsie’s Fourth of July event features spectacular fireworks that light up the evening sky, and this year will be bigger and better than ever. The park will remain open until 9:00 p.m. on July 4.
Bob the Builder™—July 21 to 22
Join the Can-Do Crew and meet Bob the Builder during his first visit to Tweetsie Railroad. The hardhat-wearing, hard-working builder will perform three 20-minute shows each day at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. When Bob the Builder is around, the fun is in getting it done!
Jump: The Ultimate Dog Show—July 28 to August 5
These four-legged friends leave spectators in amazement. Don't miss the chance to see these dynamic dogs perform their gravity-defying tricks that are sure to dazzle Tweetsie guests at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Riders In The Sky—August 18 to 19
America’s Favorite Cowboys will bring audiences a mix of comedy and Western tunes. The Grammy award-winning quartet’s shows are at noon and 3:00 p.m. each day and are included with the regular admission fee.
Tweetsie’s Railfan Weekend—September 8 to 9
The weekend will include special historic trains and an exclusive train shop tour. See the lost art of steam locomotive restoration and repair in one of the few remaining locomotive shops in North America.
Ghost Train Halloween Festival—Friday/Saturday nights October 5 to November 3
Take a ride on the frighteningly fun Ghost Train with engineer Casey Bones. There is also the haunted house, trick-or-treating and other Halloween-themed attractions to provide a memorable night of safe and scary fun for the entire family.