returning in 2023

Railroad Days

Revival

SUN, OCTOBER 29th 11am – 5pm

📍PORTOLA, CA CITY PARK

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a fun fall day for all! 🍂

In partnership with the Western Pacific Railroad Museum, the Lost Sierra Chamber of Commerce is excited to bring back the 36-year-old tradition called “Railroad Days” including vendors, local beers, a children’s area and live music!

+ pumpkin 🚂 train rides at the western pacific railroad museum!

*** $10 per car at the gate or $5 with three cans of food for the local EPCAN Food Bank.

event sponsors

current vendors

Headwaters Bistro
395 Craft Beer and Spirits
The Lost Sierra Chamber of Commerce Bar
Rainmaker Ranch NV
REMSA Care Flight
Face Painting by Cece
Majestica's Closet
Lost Sierra Food Project
Lost Sierra Honey Co.
Whittemore Family Farm/ Lil' Meg's Pumpkin Patch
Phoenix and Flora Boutique
+ More!

event attractions

Nevada Gunfighters

Old West Theater Troupe are coming to put on a safe old west show with their portable saloon! Awesome! The Nevada Gunfighters bring history to life. Come and experience circa 1860’s to 1890’s, as we bring you stories, some true, some are just lies!

Vendor trick or treat

Calling all kids! Wear your costume and trick-or-treat at each vendor booth location. Fun! Bring your favorite candy holder, and ask each vendor for a fun treat!

Partake in our raffle!

We will be raffling off an American Flag flown over the United States Capital on July 11th, 2023 donated by Congressman Kevin Kiley! Purchase raffle tickets at our event for $2/ticket; $10/6 tickets, $20/20 tickets.

Face painting!

What a fun time! Your little ones can enjoy facepainting by Cece!

pumpkin painting

Partake in pumpkin painting at the Railroad Days event. The perfect way to celebrate the Halloween holiday!

Games and Bean Bag Toss

Sierra Motion Studio will host a “Pick a Prize Game” booth and a bean bag toss! Fun!

***Please note: Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on all Western Pacific railroad rides, and on the museum premises. Thank you for your understanding.

join the celebration

sunday funday is here!

Railroad Days is a historic community event.

Since 1982, Railroad Days has been an end-of-the-summer event celebrating Portola as one of only three “Train Town USA’s” in the Country. The event was canceled in 2019 and this year we are going to bring back some of the fun!

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a weekend
of fun!

Sat oct 28 - sun oct 29

Pumpkin Patch Express

Sat Oct 28 & Sun Oct 29

Family friendly train rides to the WPRM pumpkin patch depart hourly starting at 1pm until 5pm. Please note: the museum will be closed during this event.

***Please note: Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on all Western Pacific railroad rides, and on the premises. $10 per car at the gate or $5 with three cans of food for the local EPCAN Food Bank.

Graeagle Trick or Treat

Sat Oct 28 4pm-6pm

Join the merchants of Graeagle and tons of fun for trick-or-treat on Graeagle's main street. Dress in costume and join the community for candy & fun!

***Please note: The Greagle Merchants Association hosts the event for all community members. A big thank you!

Railroad Days Revival

Sun Oct 29 11am-5pm

A fun day to celebrate the famous Portola, CA event called Railroad Days. Live music, vendors, local beer booths, kid's area, and more. Fun for all!

***Please note: The event is a small gathering at the end of the month to honor the tradition and gather feedback to see if the event should continue in the future.

established in 1982

PAST festival PHOTOS

Browse photos from past awesome Railroad Days celebrations.

railroad days

the history

Portola’s railroad heritage and railroad town image were born out of California’s lumber and mining camps. Sierra Valleys Railroad launched the train era in 1885 running goods to and from Reno. Portola and Sierra Valley were linked in 1903 to NC&O and the Boca and Loyalton railroads providing transportation between Hallelujah Junction and Clio. By 1911 Western Pacific on the south side of the Feather River became the main railway through the region.

In 1910, Portola was served by three railroads: the Boca and Loyalton (B&L), the Nevada, California, and Oregon (NC&O), and the Western Pacific. The Western Pacific Railroad Museum in the Sierra Nevada Mountains at the headwaters of the Feather River is a living museum comprised of 37 acres, including a 16,000 square foot shop building and two and one half miles of trackage. The museum is along side the busy Union Pacific Railroad mainline through the Feather River Canyon. The Feather River Rail Society at Portola, has one of the largest and most historic collections of diesel locomotives in the United States. The total number of locomotives is 40 and the number of passenger, caboose, and freight cars is 85.

The annual festival celebrates Portola’s train heritage!