Christmas Coming to CVSR in July

Santa Claus is coming early to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad when it hosts Christmas in July excursions.

The family-friendly excursions will operate July 21-22 and July 28-29, featuring summer bingo, limbo, and the hula hoop freeze dance.

Children will be able to a letter to Santa, who will be stopping by for a visit. Each passenger will receive a cookie and one non-alcoholic beverage.

Tickets are available for seating in a table car or in the Saint Lucie Lounge car. The train departs at 3:40 p.m. from Peninsula Depot.

Tickets are $25 for table top seating and $35 for executive seating in the Saint Lucie Sound.

The festivities will also include a Christmas dinner train on July 27 catered by Creekside.

The menu will include three courses starting with a garden salad with rolls butter and crackers.

The main course will feature a choice of ham or turkey with gravy plus trimmings, or vegetable lasagna alfredo. A red velvet mini cake tower will round out the meal.

The dinner train will depart at 5:40 p.m. from Peninsula. The event is not recommended for children younger than 14 and a child’s meal will not be available. Tickets are $45 per person.

As part of the Christmas in July event the CVSR is holding a photo contest.

Participants in any of the events are encourage to post their images to Facebook or Instagram and tag them Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to enter. Photos can also be sent to marketing@cvsr.com.

The contest is open between July 21-31. Two winners will be chosen and contacted for prizes by the end of the week.

The first-place winner will receive four open air train car tickets for Steam in the Valley while the second-place winner will receive tickets to the Great Lakes Science Center.

Four photographs per person may be submitted and any additional photos will not be considered for judging. There is a limit of one prize per person.

Photos can be of the train, families or Santa, but no entries will be considered that were made on the rails.

Photographs will be judged on creativity, adherence to theme, originality, and quality. Photographers submitting entries agree to give CVSR consent to use their photographs on social media, promotional materials and the organization’s website.

Contestants must be at least 18 year of age and agree that their name, social media handle, and any associated caption can be used by the CVSR.

CVSR Sets Annual Christmas in July Train

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will raise money for its annual Polar Express charity run by running its annual Christmas in July train on July 30. The special will depart Rockside Road Station at 7 p.m.

Passengers will be able to choose from a variety of beers and wines, including Thirsty Dog’s 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale. A boxed dinner catered by Moe’s Restaurant will be served.

Other events include a silent auction and raffle plus a visit by Santa Claus.

Tickets are $65 in coach and $100 for dining car seating. To purchase tickets call 800-468-4070 or visit the CVSR website at:

http://www.cvsr.com/calendar

CVSR will host 800 to 1,000 children on its Polar Express charity train on Dec. 7. The children and their family invited to ride to the North Pole are experiencing health issues or economic challenges.