A celebration of rural American history and the evolution of farming technology is coming to downtown Summerville later this month.
Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 Summerville Santa Special excursions through the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.
This year’s holiday train rides are scheduled for November 28 and 29, December 5 and 6, and December 11 and 12. Tickets are $24 for everyone age 2 and older.
Passengers will travel to Summerville for a festive holiday experience that includes the Mistletoe Market and a free children’s activity tent. Visitors will also have time to shop, eat and enjoy downtown Summerville.
The Summerville Santa Special has become a popular family tradition, and organizers encourage passengers to reserve their seats early because the rides often sell out.
Tickets are available at www.tvrail.com under Train Rides, Seasonal Special Events, and Summerville Santa Special.
A celebration of cultures from around the world will take place today at the Summerville Train Depot as the City of Summerville hosts its Multicultural Festival from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The free, family-friendly event will feature a “Taste Around the World” with a variety of international foods, live entertainment, craft vendors, cultural displays and activities celebrating the diverse traditions that make up the local community.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to see the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s antique steam locomotive arrive at the depot and watch demonstrations of the historic Summerville Turntable, one of the few operating railroad turntables of its kind.
The festival is open to all ages and will be held at the Summerville Train Depot, 111 East Washington Street.
A day of cowboy adventures, family activities, shopping, and railroad history is coming to downtown Summerville this Saturday as Summerville Main Street hosts its annual Wild West celebration at the Historic Summerville Depot.
The City of Summerville is inviting the community out for a day of music, food, and local shopping at the upcoming May Market & Melodies event.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 23, 2026, from 10 AM until 3 PM at the Summerville Train Depot.
Organizers say the event will coincide with the arrival of the Tennessee Valley Railroad’s steam engine passenger train, adding a unique attraction for attendees. The day will feature live musical entertainment, a variety of local vendors, and a wide selection of food and handcrafted goods.
The event is free to attend and is designed to be family-friendly.
City officials also noted that anyone interested in becoming a vendor should contact the City of Summerville directly, warning residents not to send payments through third-party apps to avoid potential scams.
Summerville Main Street’s Ducky Derby is happening tomorrow, Saturday, May 9, outside the Summerville Depot.
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.
The same steam locomotive that regularly thunders into Summerville for TVRM’s popular Steam into Summerville railroad days — Southern Railway 4501 — is drawing attention again after a weekend visit this past Saturday in Chattanooga from John Carter Cash, son of Johnny and June Carter Cash. The historic engine, which most recently visited Summerville on November 11, 2025, remains one of the most recognizable operating steam locomotives in the country and continues to bring rail history to life for local riders and visiting railfans alike.