Tweetsie Railroad Celebrates 50 Years of Family Fun in 2007
Posted: 04-17-2007 : BLOWING ROCK, N.C.

Blowing Rock, N.C. – 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, which begins Friday, May 4. Nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Tweetsie will offer entertainment for the entire family during its golden anniversary season.

The Wild West theme park features live shows, amusement rides, the Deer Park, 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 spend the day walking the streets of a Western town, learning about the lives of cowboys and Indians of the past, or 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'sä Musical Celebration and the imaginative Professor Peppercorn's Magical Extravaganza. Tweetsie’s Country Clogging Jamboree is also sure to get your toes tapping.

The 2007 season also includes several special events at the park. Below is a quick look at each one:

Day Out With Thomas™ - June 1-10
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 as 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 21-22
Join the Can-Do Crew and meet Bob the Builder during his first visit to Tweetsie Railroad. The hard-hat wearing, hard-working builder will be performing 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-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 which 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 18-19
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 p.m. each day and are included with the regular admission fee.

Tweetsie’s Railfan Weekend - September 8-9
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 Trainâ Halloween Festival - Friday/Saturday nights October 5-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.

Tweetsie Railroad will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting 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 Trainâ 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.

Tweetsie Railroad is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains on U.S. Highway 321 between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. For more information about the 2007 season at Tweetsie Railroad, call 1-877-TWEETSIE or visit www.tweetsie.com.