Polar Express Leaves Lisle on December 4
Tickets are now on sale for The 16th Annual Lisle Polar Express Children's Christmas Train.
The $16 tickets are available at The Nook on Main Street, at Lisle Savings Bank on Maple Avenue and at the 7-Eleven, Main Street and Ogden Avenue, all in Lisle. Last year, children and adults from more than 65 cities and suburbs rode The Lisle Polar Express.
The train will leave on two trips to the North Pole (Chicago) and back beginning at 9:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, December 4, from the Lisle Metra train station. There are 1,000 tickets sold for each trip.
The 10-car double-decker Metra commuter train will recreate the trip enjoyed by the award-winning children's book penned by Chris Van Allsburg.
“The entire trip to and from the North Pole (Chicago) will take about 75 minutes,” Jack Kelly, the conductor, said. “The Polar Express will travel to the North Pole and immediately return to Lisle. No one will be able to get off The Polar Express. And please remember, The Polar Express always leaves exactly on time.”
The star of The Polar Express, of course, will be Santa Claus. Every child on board will also be able to visit with Santa at least once during the trip. This year, five Santas will be on board the 10-car train.
A group of clowns will join Santa on board creating a balloon animal for each child. Costumed characters also will pass through the train greeting the children. They will be joined by a host of community "elf" volunteers who will pass out candy treats, coloring pages and lead each car in the singing of Christmas carols.
Once at “the North Pole,” Santa's elves will give the children on board their “First Gift of Christmas,” a bell cut from a reindeer's harness that pulls Santa's sleigh. Along with the bell will be a note from Santa, “Found this on the seat of my sleigh. Fix that hole in your pocket. Signed, Mr. C.,” just as in the book.
Volunteers will read the complete story of “The Polar Express” in each car.
The fun day won't end with the completion of the train ride this year. The Lisle Heritage Society in cooperation with the Park District is opening The Museums at Lisle Station Park, next to the Lisle Metra train station, for its annual “Once Upon a Christmas” celebration. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., children and their parents can visit with live reindeer, enjoy cookies and pieces of pie baked in a brick oven, Christmas Trees from Around the World and a giant operating HO gauge model railroad display. And of course, they can visit with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.
The Polar Express is operated by a group of volunteers dedicated to making the holiday season extra special for children. Members of the community are serving as elf volunteers and providing adult supervision. Anyone interested in helping with the Polar Express should call Wayne Dunham, Train Engineer, 630-963-4280.
Tickets also are available by mail at: The Polar Express, PO Box 4327, Lisle, IL 60532. Checks or money orders should be made payable to The Polar Express and include a stamped, self-addressed No. 10 business envelope along with the request.
An adult must accompany all children. Every passenger needs a ticket. Tickets are limited. For further information about The Polar Express, contact the Lisle Convention & Visitors Bureau at 630-769-1000 or 800-733-9811 or visit their website at www.StayInLisle.com., then click on Visiting, then Polar Express.
(30)