RUSSELLVILLE — Main Street Russellville will sponsor An Evening With Mr. Conductor, its last holiday event of the season, at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Train Depot, 320 W. C St.
The Polar Express and other Christmas stories will be read by candlelight, and hot chocolate will be served at the event. Mr. Conductor will make an appearance, as well as a special guest. Admission is $5 per child, and proceeds will go to the Main Street program, said Danya Day, administrative assistant.
Day said this is the second year for the event.
“We have a big rug sitting out, and last year a lot of the kids came in their pajamas,” she said. “They all sit on the rug, and the parents can sit on the chairs back behind them.”
This year, Suzanne Hodges, a Russellville business owner, will sit in a rocking chair by the Christmas tree and read the stories, Day said.
“Hopefully, a train will come through,” she said. “Last year, it just happened to in the middle. The kids were like, ‘It’s real!’” she said.
A visit by the conductor was popular, too, she said.
“Kids are fascinated with him,” Day said, adding that a “special guest” will appear near the end of the evening. She said the event should be over by 7:30 p.m.
Day said about 60 children attended An Evening with Mr. Conductor last year.
“By the time we got the 60 kids in with the parents, it was totally full,” she said.
Children of all ages are welcome to attend.
“There were some people coming in carrying their little kids; some [kids] were more like 9 or 10,” she said. “It’s all ages.”
Main Street Russellville has held the Christmas parade and holiday art walk this month, “so the Polar Express event is the last holiday event,” she said.
For more information, call (479) 967-1437.
River Valley Ozark, Pages 142 on 12/11/2011