Families and train enthusiasts from near and far flocked to Ashland Saturday to celebrate the return of the town’s beloved street festival.
Hosted by the Downtown Ashland Association, Ashland Train Day kicked off for its 18th year on April 30 and drew together a crowd of thousands from across the county, region and even international visitors.
“Ashland Train Day is the signature event for Downtown Ashland every year,” said Maggie Longest, executive director of the Downtown Ashland Association. “We are just so proud to welcome everybody in and celebrate our love for trains and really show everybody a good time with a street festival and rail fan extravaganza.”
Longest said there was a “little extra excitement in the air” surrounding this year’s event after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, which has previously been held in the fall, was reintroduced as a spring festival to kick off a return to community unity and celebration.
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All of Downtown Ashland and surrounding streets were immersed in the day’s festivities, which spanned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hundreds of volunteers, local businesses and residents pitched in this year to bring the event to life.
“There’s a little something for everybody,” Longest said, describing how the free event aims to offer a variety of entertainment and attractions for visitors of all ages.
This year honored the various upheld traditions of Train Day with an even greater vibrancy than previous years, as the event continues to grow in size since its very first celebration. Fifty-six vendors from local shops and others and nine food vendors were scattered throughout the festival, along with an increase in the number of local businesses participating.
A variety of attractions for rail enthusiasts were featured, including more than 12 fully-loaded CSX freight trains and Amtrak passenger trails passing through the center of the event. Twelve model trains of every size and scale, including LEGO and racing trains, along with four railroad historical exhibits, were on display at the Ashland Dance Academy, Ashland Train Station, Hanover Arts and Activities Center, The Depot, Ashland-Hanover Shopping Center and the Ashland Museum.
Children swarmed the Richmond LEGO Users Group’s (RVA LUG) impressively large LEGO display of model trains weaving through a model city, which was housed in the Ashland Dance Academy along with various other model train sets.
“We enjoy bringing it out and sharing it with people… and it’s also a great opportunity for us all to get together and hang out,” said Ryan Slevin, a member of the RVA LUG group. “And the kids get so excited.”
Three different historical societies brought Virginia’s railroad history to life by discussing the history of trains and how they have shaped the town and region over the years, including a table set up by the Richmond Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Historical Society.
There were plenty of attractions for children to enjoy with Train Day’s Kid Zone, which was hosted by New Community Church and featured a bounce house, kiddie rides on a trackless train, obstacle course, cornhole game area, Kona Ice, face painting and musical performances by The Singing Conductor. Ashland Community Preschool also hosted a preschool playground and a meet-and-greet with children’s book author Corinne Luck.
Touch-A-Truck displays were also in attendance this year, with local companies, Hanover Fire-EMS, U.S. Marshals Service and others volunteering their time to display heavy equipment, a fire truck, ambulance, dump trucks and tractors for children to climb aboard and explore. Glen Allen Transmissions even featured a replica of the infamous Scooby Doo “Mystery Machine” van for families to take photographs with.
“It’s a real treat to have all of these folks that are big-time rail fans come to Ashland and bring all of their equipment and everything,” Longest said.
Organizers strived to keep in touch with the event’s nostalgia while introducing a new emphasis on arts and culture this year, including the incorporation of The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) Artmobile parked outside the Hanover Arts and Activities Center, she said. Attendees were able to step inside the trailer and tour the mobile gallery as if they were transported to the Richmond-based museum.
In addition, The Ashland Theater hosted live theatre performances by Whistle Stop Theatre Company, with members singing a medley from the company’s first written musical in honor of their 10th anniversary in Ashland.
Tim’s Trains and Toys invited Train Day participants to roam around the festival with a scavenger hunt ticket, collect stamps at each visited location and even win a special prize if all 16 locations were visited. This invited visitors to fully explore the plethora of attractions that the festival offered throughout the day.
With children running around, laughter ringing in the air and a flood of community members roaming the streets of Ashland under the vibrant day’s sun, organizers said this year’s Train Day proved to be a great success for its first official debut as a spring festival.