Tag Archive for: children under 5

Join us for the 2024 Festival of Trains!

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The 2024 Festival of Trains is here!

Join us for the 2024 Festival of Trains! The Northern Michigan Railroad Club, the Great Lakes Children’s Museum, and Creekside Community Church are pleased to announce the 2024 Festival of Trains.  The Festival starts December 21 and runs through December 31 at the Creekside Community Church (3686 W South Airport Rd, Traverse City, MI 49684).

Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday, 1pm to 4 pm with special hours of 10 am to 4 pm on December 24 and December 31.  The Festival will be closed on December 25.

Admission is $6 per person for everyone 5 and up – 4 and under free! Or buy a $30 Festival Pass and bring your family of up to 5 free each day the festival is open.

Saturdays and Sundays the NMRRC will host their annual swap meet as part of the event. The swap meet is the perfect place to pick up a few odds and ends for that train set you’ve got stored away, or when it’s time to lay down the tracks with the next generation. If you’d like to sell at the swap meet, reserve a table ($20) by calling 218-7563.

The Festival of Trains takes place in the gymnasium at Creekside Community Church and fills it wall-to-wall with tables of trainsets. Modern and antique trains travel around the tracks, tended by Engineers from the Northern Michigan RailRoad Club (NMRRC). The engineers have set up interactive buttons so even the youngest engineers visiting the Festival can control a part of the action.

Volunteers are needed for all days.  Information on volunteering and an online sign up can also be found on our volunteering page.

All funds go to the Rail Road Club, Church, and Children’s Museum to fund their operations as 501c3 charities.

Don’t miss Santa’s Visit on the first day of the festival – December 21 from 1pm to 3pm! Join us for the 2024 Festival of Trains! This holiday season you’ve got a ticket to fun – all aboard the festival of trains! Choo! Choo!

 

 

A poster describes the Festival of Trains as running from December 21st to the 31st. Tickets are $6 per person. Hours are 10 to 6 Monday to Saturday, Sunday 1 to 4pm. Special Hours apply Christmas and New Years Eve.

Kids Free Fishing Day- June 15, 2024

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2023 Festival of Trains

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Gingerbread House Fun-Raiser

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Bubble Paint an Ornament with Leelanau Pottery Company

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Hunting for a personalized gift for your little one to give to a parent, grandparent or loved one? Or just looking for a relaxing way to spend the afternoon with your family? We’ve got you covered with a holiday program that does both!

Buy Tickets

On Wednesday, December 13 from 12pm-2pm, Stephanie Starner, owner of Leelanau Pottery Company, is teaching a pottery class at the Great Lakes Children’s Museum. An accomplished local artist and mother of two, Stephanie has a knack for introducing the medium of pottery to artists of all ages.

This month’s class centers around two things that children love: the holidays and bubbles! In this activity, children will begin by choosing a pre-fired ornament shape and a paint color before blowing bubbles in the paint to create a unique pattern. The result is a delightful keepsake, perfect for gifting to friends and loved ones. As a bonus, participants will be able to play in the Museum while their creation dries; each ticket for the class comes with free admission to the Children’s Museum!

Although we love to have guests “pop in” to play at the Museum, advanced registration for this specific event is required. Tickets can be purchased here through Leelanau Pottery Company. Registration to play in the Museum Galleries from 12-2pm is included with your ticket from Leelanau Pottery.

Register today so that you can join us Wednesday, December 13 from 12pm-2pm for a festive afternoon of pottery and play time!