The Historic RailPark & Train Museum will host its annual “Polar Express Storytime” back in its usual setting, and tickets will be made available to the public for the first time since 2019.

Last year’s event featured sessions in the lobby of the Depot and tickets were only available for RailPark members.

Thanks to declining COVID-19 numbers both regionally and nationwide, RailPark Executive Director Jamie Johnson said the story times will move back to their traditional setting of the Duncan Hines Diner Railcar with limited capacity.

“What’s mildly different is that we can only have 48 people in the railcar per session,” Johnson said. “In previous years, we used to just cram everyone in there. We just want to do the best we can possibly do while we come out of this pandemic. We are not requiring people to wear a mask to this, but they are welcome to do so.”

Story time sessions take place on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 at 4:30, 5, 5:30, 6:15, 6:45 and 7:15 p.m each day.

All guests will enter through the main front doors and cookies and cocoa will be available in the lobby.

Upon entering the railcar, seating is first come, first serve.

Attendees will then be treated to readings of famous holiday stories.

Guests will exit through the Presidential Railcar and will have a brief opportunity to meet Santa Claus.

While tickets are free, their availability is very limited.

Johnson said the only way of getting a ticket is by either being a RailPark member or in person on Saturday, Nov. 20, at the RailPark.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 16-18, tickets will be available for RailPark members to purchase either in-person, by calling 270-745-7317 or by emailing their request to visitorservices@historicrailpark.com.

There are four different levels of RailPark membership: Train Master ($35), Yard Master ($65), Engineer ($100) and Conductor ($150).

The number of free tickets given depends on which level of membership is purchased. For example, two free tickets will be given if the Train Master level is purchased, and eight free tickets will be awarded if the Conductor level is purchased.

Johnson said due to the event’s popularity, non-members usually start lining up for their tickets around 6 a.m. before they can be received from 9 to 11 a.m. on Nov. 20.

The only way for non-members to get tickets is by doing so in-person on that Saturday morning.

“It’s the most popular event we do each year,” Johnson said. “It is the most coveted holiday ticket in Bowling Green. We know why it is so popular. It’s an exciting time for families to come together and hear a great holiday story. There is no technology involved. There is just something magical in the simplicity of what we are doing.”

Sponsors for the event include Houchens Industries, Keeping It Bookkeeping Services, Drobocky Orthodontics, Independence Bank, BGMU, Kiwanis Club of Bowling Green and Houchens Insurance Group.