
Activities Include:
Live Entertainment
Train Rides: 25 minute ride with Thomas the Tank Engine (included), Optional 25 minute ride with Percy (extra cost)
Group Activities: Bean Bag Toss, Mini Golf, Hay Bale Maze, Inflatable Games
Additional Experiences: Bubbles, Temporary Tattoos, Crafts, Coloring Sheet
Inflatable Fun: Character Inflatable photo ops!
Museum Components: Heritage Railway Historical Artifacts
Reciprocal memberships from participating Association of Science-technology Centers (ASTC) will NOT be accepted for this premium event. Neither will vouchers for free museum admission/train ride nor free train ride with paid museum admission.
Ride, Play & Stay All Day!
September 22-24 & September 29-October 1
Peep Peep – Get ready for a full day of fun! Thomas the Tank Engine and Percy are rolling into Spencer, NC on September 22-24 and September 29 – October 1. Join Thomas the Tank Engine and Percy for a day full of colorful adventures! All aboard an interactive train ride with Thomas to earn your Color Badge, say Hello to Sir Topham Hatt and get creative exploring the Color Corner. For even more fun, mix it up in the Play Pod with lawn games, snap eye-catching photo ops, enjoy live entertainment, check out the exclusive pop-up gift shop and more!
The event at the N.C. Transportation Museum includes Thomas and Percy train rides, pictures with Sir Topham Hatt, hay bale maze, temporary tattoos, balloon artist, photo ops, character inflatables, giant lawn games, a music show, model train layouts, food vendors, picnic shelters, a large gift shop, plus three exhibit buildings featuring North Carolina’s transportation history with rail cars, antique automobiles, and a Wright Brothers flyer replica.
All-Day Ride Pass | SOLD OUT
A limited number of Thomas all-day ride passes are available for Fridays, September 22 and 29. The all-day ride passes allow multiple rides behind Thomas the Tank Engine™ during the day. You can also add a Percy all-day ride to your all-day Thomas ride pass on those days, while they last. All-day Percy ride passes cannot be purchased without holding an all-day Thomas ride pass. Fans without the all-day ride passes are welcome to enjoy the event activities all day long, but are limited to only the one ride time they have selected for the Thomas train and the optional Percy train.
Breakfast with Sir Topham Hatt
Start your day out with a pancake breakfast (pancakes, sausage, a fruit cup and juice) onboard a stationary train car. For $12 per person (plus tax and ticket fee) you will get breakfast and a chance to meet and get your picture taken with Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of the Railway (picture sold separately). Everyone ages 1 and up must have a Sir Topham Hatt Breakfast ticket to board the breakfast train cars. Children under the age of 1 are free but must sit on the lap of a paying member of the party. Seating is limited. Breakfast tickets are only available to those who also have a Day Out With Thomas ™ event ticket.
DOWT 2023 Food Vendors
Friday, Sept. 22, 2023
KC Concessions
Roadway Dawgs
Civitan Club
Mottzarellas
Old 97 Kettle Corn
Chill Shak
Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023
KC Concessions
Roadway Dawgs
Civitan Club
This Little Piggy BBQ
Old 97 Kettle Corn
Chill Shak
Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023
KC Concessions
Roadway Dawgs
Civitan Club
Mottzarellas
Teriyaki on Stick
Old 97 Kettle Corn
Chill Shak
Friday, Sept. 29, 2023
Roadway Dawgs
Civitan Club
This Little Piggy BBQ
Teriyaki on Stick
Old 97 Kettle Corn
Chill Shak
Old Doc Bell
Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023
KC’s Kitchen
Roadway Dawgs
Civitan Club
This Little Piggy BBQ
Teriyaki on Stick
Old 97 Kettle Corn
Chill Shak
Old Doc Bell
Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023
KC’s Kitchen
Roadway Dawgs
Civitan Club
This Little Piggy BBQ
Teriyaki on Stick
Old 97 Kettle Corn
Chill Shak
Old Doc Bell
For questions regarding tickets or to order by phone please contact the Day Out with Thomas™️ charge-by-phone line at: 1-866-468-7630 (9 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST/7 days a week). For general event information, you can also email the museum at info@nctransportationmuseum.org.
Overnight Stay & Play Package
The deadline to book the Overnight Packages for Day Out With Thomas™ for the opening weekend September 22 – 24, 2023 will be September 19, 2023 at 4 p.m. or while supplies last. The deadline to book for the second weekend September 29 – October 1 will be September 26, 2023 at 4 p.m. or while supplies last.
You can earn complimentary Day Out with Thomas™ tickets by booking your overnight stay in a participating Rowan County Lodging property. Pay careful attention to the new process, as well as the terms and conditions prior to booking your lodging.
Book your overnight stay in Rowan County during the date you are attending Day Out with Thomas™ at the N.C. Transportation Museum and receive:
1 Night Stay |
2 free Day Out with Thomas™ and Percy combo tickets (while supplies last) OR a $45 gift certificate to the museum gift shop |
2 Night Stay |
4 free Day Out with Thomas™ and Percy combo tickets (while supplies last) OR a $90 gift certificate to the museum gift shop |
Questions regarding Overnight Stay & Play Package? Contact the Rowan County Tourism office at 1-800-332-2343, 704-638-3100, or visit their website.
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