Summerville Santa Special Tickets Now On Sale For 2026 Holiday Season

The City of Summerville has announced that tickets are now available for the popular Summerville Santa Special train excursions for the 2026 holiday season.

The rides will take place aboard the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s holiday train and are scheduled for November 28-29, December 5-6, and December 11-12.

Organizers say the annual event offers families a festive Christmas experience in downtown Summerville, complete with holiday decorations, shopping, and special activities for children. Officials describe the event as having a “small-town Hallmark movie” atmosphere.

Tickets are priced at $24 for ages 2 and older, and organizers encourage residents to purchase early because the rides traditionally sell out.

Tickets can be purchased through the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum website.

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A visual timeline connects Johnny Cash’s 1974 television special Ridin’ the Rails with the present-day legacy of Southern Railway 4501. Top left, Cash performs beside the massive steam locomotive during filming of the ABC special. Top right, John Carter Cash visits the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum with family and TVRM staff, sitting aboard the same historic equipment nearly 50 years later. Bottom left, archival footage shows Cash riding in the cab of Southern 4501. Bottom right, the fully restored 1911 Baldwin-built locomotive draws crowds during a modern-day Steam into Summerville excursion, a signature event that most recently brought the engine to Summerville, Georgia, on November 11, 2025.

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