Tag Archives: Kennywood Park

10 Western Pennsylvania miniature train displays to visit this holiday season

Everything is magical in miniature displays.

Here are 10 (and a bonus one) model train and miniature displays to visit this holiday season around Pittsburgh.

Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum

This display is among the nation’s oldest, dating to 1938.

With about 4,000 square feet and 6,500 feet of track, this display features Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland, in 1952.

Among the 100 steam locomotives and 250 diesel engines, look for some regional landmarks: Fallingwater, J&L Steel and Cox’s Department Store.

There are buttons with interactive displays for children of all ages.

The display is located at 5507 Lakeside Drive in Richland Township, Allegheny County (Gibsonia). It is open on select days through Jan. 15. Cost is $5 for children under 12 and $10 for adults. For more information, visit the website.

Ohio Valley Lines

This display in Ambridge in celebrating 40 years. The display features “two fantastic, highly-detailed model railroad displays.”

The show is open select days through Jan. 8. Cost is $6 for adults and $2 for children 3 to 12. For more information, visit the website.

Beaver County Model Railroad and Historical Society

Visitors can see several locomotive power and rolling stock, plus a variety of displays, and can check out the rest of the building and library.

Admission is free, and donations are accepted. The show runs select days through Jan. 1. Find more details here.

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

Check out the Trolleys and Toy Trains exhibit at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. Be sure to see the Victorian-style village and the Lego layout. For costs and dates, visit the website.

Kennywood’s Model Train Display

Carefully crafted by the Pittsburgh Independent Hi-Railers, the model train display at Kennywood Park’s Holiday Lights features 14 scale miles, a quarter mile of real track and hundreds of scenes and locations. Read more here.

Admission is included with a Holiday Lights general admission ticket. For tickets and dates, visit Kennywood’s website.

McKeesport Model Railroad Club

The 2,200-square-foot layout features life depicted in the fictitious Mon Valley town of Steelton.

Admission is $3 for ages 5-17 and $5 for adults; free for children younger than 5 and also for military, first responders and uniformed scouts. Find more information here.

Rochester Area Heritage Society and Model Railroad Museum

This display features five different model railroad displays in five different scales.

Display is open select days through Jan. 8. Admission is $5 and free for children 12 and younger. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page or call 724-777-7697.

Miniature Railroad & Village at the Carnegie Science Center

This display dates to 1919 and features some of Western Pennsylvania’s landmarks — Mister Rogers’ house, Kaufmann’s Department Store, Fallingwater and new this year is the Evans City chapel from “Night of The Living Dead.”

Cost to view the display comes with general admission for the science center, which is $20 for adults, $15 for people 65 and up, $12 for children and free ages 2 and younger. For more information, visit the science center website.

Phipps Conservatory Garden Railroad: Our National Parks

Visit Phipps and celebrate national parks with the Garden Railroad display. Guests can activate elements of the display through touchless interactive stations with the famous Old Faithful Geyser, look for Bigfoot and look for more than 3,500 plants.

Admission is part of the general admission for Phipps. Cost starts at $19.95 for adults, $11.95 for children 2 to 18, and $17.95 for people over 65 and students over 18. For more information, visit the Phipps website.

Ridings Family Train Display

Visit the Ridings family train display at the McCarl Industrial & Agricultural Museum in Darlington. Weekends through Dec. 31 (closed Christmas Eve). More details here.

Train Gang of Washington County

The Train Gang of Washington County is located in the Washington Crown Center Mall (1500 W Chestnut St, Washington, PA 15301), close to I-70. Open Wednesdays through Sundays. Check the group’s Facebook page for specific hours. Admission is free; donations are welcome and are shared with local charities. More details here.

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Western Pennsylvania’s 2022 holiday events calendar

Plan your holiday season with this epic Western Pennsylvania holiday happenings calendar.

As always, check with organizers before going, as times, events, dates, etc., might change.

If your event was missed or you know of an event missing, send a message.

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Check with organizers on dates, hours, costs and other information. Some events spanning multiple days might be open on select dates.

EventDate(s)
Kraynak’s ChristmaslandThrough Dec. 31
Oglebay’s Festival of LightsBegins Nov. 10
The Strand Theater presents “White Christmas”Nov. 11-20
Santa at Ross Park MallBegins Nov. 11
Light Up NorwinNov. 17
“A Drag Queen Christmas”Nov. 17
Elizabeth Boro Light-Up NightNov. 17
Santa at South Hills VillageNov. 17-Dec. 24
Overlys Country ChristmasBegins Nov. 17
Oakland’s GlowlandNov. 18-Dec. 17
Holiday Market at Market Square opens for the seasonBegins Nov . 18
American Cancer Society Tribute of Light, PPG Place tree lightingNov. 18
Santa at The Mall at RobinsonNov.18-Dec. 24
Santa in Downtown PittsburghNov.18-Dec. 23
Winter Lights Illumination NightNov. 18
Merry Karaoke at Market SquareNov. 18
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents “Elf in Concert”Nov. 18
Holiday Lights on the Lake at Lakemont Park (Altoona)Nov. 18-Jan.8
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ Winter Flower ShowBegins Nov. 18
Symphony Splendor: Holiday Fantasy TourNov. 18-27
Hilltop Holiday Town at North Hills High School (Ross Township)Nov. 18
Santa’s First Stop (Cranberry Township, Butler County)Nov. 18
Pittsburgh Arts & Crafts Holiday SpectacularNov. 18-20
Shadrack’s Christmas WonderlandBegins Nov. 18
Pittsburgh Light Up NightNov. 19
Pine Township’s Holiday DazzleNov. 19
I Made It! for the Holidays at The Block NorthwayNov. 19
Holiday Lights at Kennywood ParkBegins Nov. 19
Clinton Christmas Light-Up (Findlay Township)Begins Nov. 19
Hermitage Holiday Light ParadeNov. 19
Celebration of Lights at Settlers Ridge (Robinson Township)Nov. 19
Western PA Maker Market (Erie)Nov. 19
Oakmont’s Hometown Christmas & ParadeNov. 19
Santa at Kennywood Park’s Holiday LightsBegins Nov. 19
Santa at Millcreek Mall (Erie)Begins Nov. 19
Steubenville Lights Up the NightNov. 22
Steubenville Nutcracker Village opensBegins Nov. 22
All Aboard The Robinson Express (Mall at Robinson)Begins Nov. 23
McDonald Light Up NightNov. 23
Santa’s Workshop at Monroeville MallNov 23-Dec. 24
Beaver County Christmas ExtravaganzaNov. 24-Dec. 11 (select dates)
Fun Fore All’s Holiday Lights Mini GolfNov. 25-Jan. 1
“A Very Electric Christmas”Nov. 25
Festival of Trees (Erie)Nov. 25-27
Beaver Light-Up FestivalNov. 25
Light Up NemacolinNov. 25
Christmas at Port FarmsNov. 25
Santa Trolley at the Pennsylvania Trolley MuseumBegins Nov. 25
Pittsburgh Zoo’s Zoo Lights drive-thru eventBegins Nov. 25
“The Polar Express 3D” at the Carnegie Science CenterBegins Nov. 25
Santa at Pittsburgh’s Heinz History CenterBegins Nov. 25
Olde Fashioned Christmas at Lanterman’s MillNov. 26-27
“A Charlie Brown Christmas Live On Stage”Nov. 26
Perry Square pop-up skating rink (Erie)Begins Nov. 26
Christmas In GuyasutaNov. 26
Butler’s Spirit of Christmas ParadeNov. 26
Zombek Christmas Display Light Up NightNov. 26
Holiday Market at South Park Township LibraryNov. 26
Dazzling Nights (Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in Collier)Nov. 27-Jan. 1
Crafts and Drafts Holiday Market (East End Brewing, Pittsburgh)Nov. 27
Christmas Tree Lighting at McCandless CrossingNov. 28
“Harry Connick, Jr. – A Holiday Celebration”Nov. 29
Pittsburgh Public Theater presents “A Christmas Story”Nov. 30-Dec. 18 23
(show was extended due to popularity!)
Presque Isle Lights (Erie)Begins Dec. 1
Asbury Woods Winter Wonderland (Erie)Begins Dec. 1
Miracle On Main Street (Zelienople)Dec. 1
Elf with Beer TastingDec. 1
53rd Annual Downtown Greensburg Luminary NightDec. 1
Beverly Brite Nite (Mt. Lebanon)Dec. 1
Victorian Holidays at Hagen History Center (Erie)Dec. 1-4
Holiday Mart at Sweetwater Center for the Arts (Sewickley)Dec. 1-11
Santa at Beaver Valley MallDec. 1-24
Santa at the Galleria at Pittsburgh MillsDec. 1-24
Canonsburg’s Old Fashioned ChristmasDec. 2, 3
Handmade Arcade Holiday MarketDec. 2, 3
“‘Tis the Season with The Beach Boys featuring The Holiday Vibrations Orchestra”Dec. 2
Erie’s Downtown D’LightsDec. 2
Sewickley Light Up NightDec. 2
Sewickley Public Library’s Light Up NightDec. 2
Youngstown Holiday Parade, Light-Up Night and Flea on PhelpsDec. 2
The Shoppes at Caste Village’s Light Up NightDec. 2
1940s Radio Hour Christmas CarolDec. 2
“Elf, The Musical” (Erie)Dec. 2-18
The Black Market: Holiday EditionBegins Dec. 3
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents “Handel’s Messiah”Dec. 3
Christmas in CoraopolisDec. 3
Moon Lights Holiday FestivalDec. 3
Quaker Valley Santa ParadeDec. 3
2nd Annual Driving Trail of Lights (Erie)
Home for the Holidays in Dormont 2022Dec. 3
Flagship Wonderland (Erie)Dec. 3
“Come Home for the Holidays: A Soulful Christmas” (Erie)Dec. 3
Light Up Bellevue!Dec. 3
Monessen Christmas ParadeDec. 3
Ohiopyle Winter MarketDec. 3
Country Christmas Light Up Night (Washington County, Pa.)Dec. 3
Light Up Green TreeDec. 3
Christmas in the Park (Townsend Park, New Brighton)Dec. 3
Deck the Paws (Animal Friends, Ohio Township)Dec. 3
Lighting #OperationGriswold (Erie)Begins Dec. 3
Brookline Lights UpDec. 3
“The Nutcracker” by West Point Ballet (Moon Township)Dec. 3, 4
Christmas at the Village (Old Economy Village, Ambridge)Dec. 3, 4
Christmas on the Farm at Freedom FarmsDec. 3, 4
Santa at the Station (Sewickley)Dec. 4
Oakmont Christmas Home TourDec. 4
Krampus Holiday Market (Monroeville Mall)Dec. 4
A Very Yinzer Christmas AlbumDec. 7
Merry Little Holiday Party (Washington Area Humane Society)Dec. 9
Pittsburgh CLO presents “A Musical Christmas Carol”Dec. 9-23
Baldwin Holiday FestivalDec. 9
Joy-Thru Fairview (South Fayette)Dec. 9
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents “Highmark Holiday Pops”Dec. 9-18
Allegheny County’s Holiday Laser Show at North ParkBegins Dec. 9
Holiday Market at the Meadville Market HouseDec. 10
Vintage Mart Holiday Special (Pittsburgh)Dec. 10
Mt. Lebanon Uptown Winter Market and Holiday CelebrationDec.10
Woodland Ridge Light-Up Night (Moon Township)Dec. 11 (6 p.m.)
Ken Gargaro’s “A Lyrical Christmas Carol”Dec. 13-18
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents “Holiday Brass Spectacular”Dec. 13
“Celtic Woman Christmas”Dec. 14
The Gilded Age: Victorian Holiday TraditionsDec. 14
Feel The Love – A Taylor Family Celebration (Beaver)Dec. 15
Feel The Love – A Taylor Family Celebration (Moon Township)Dec. 16-17
Holiday AWCommunity Day (August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Pittsburgh)Dec. 17
Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s ‘The Ghosts of Christmas Eve: The Best of TSO” concertDec. 17
I Made It Market: Last-Minute Shopping (Strip District, Pittsburgh)Dec. 17
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents “Sensory Friendly Concert: Holiday Pops”Dec. 17
Christmas in CarnegieDec. 17
Santa expERIEnce (Erie)Dec. 17
Lake Erie Ballet Company’s “Erie’s Nutcracker Reimagined”Dec. 17-18
Pittsburgh Festival Opera’s Holiday ExtravaganzaDec. 18
“A Marie Osmond Symphonic Christmas”Dec. 20
Hyeholde’s Dickens’ Dinner A Christmas CarolDec. 20-23
Light Up Lebo 2022 (Mt. Lebanon)Dec. 24
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