A steam-powered train carrying Santa and Mrs. Claus will roll through six Lackawanna County communities on Saturday, Dec. 5, with free holiday festivities at every stop.

The Santa Train: Christmas in a Small Town Celebration runs from Carbondale to Scranton's Steamtown National Historic Site, according to the Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau.

The event is presented by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area in partnership with Steamtown National Historic Site and has welcomed families since 1996, according to the event listing on VisitNEPA.org.

This is a station-side celebration, not a passenger excursion. Families gather at one of six stops to greet Santa when the train arrives.

Children can share their Christmas wishes with Santa, and families can enjoy free refreshments, live entertainment and holiday activities. Offerings vary by location.

Schedule and locations

The times listed are scheduled arrival times. Organizers recommend arriving before the listed time.

  • 10:30 a.m. — Carbondale Train Station, Trinity Place, north of 7th Avenue
  • 11:35 a.m. — Archbald Train Station, between Laurel Street and the tracks southwest of Wayne Street
  • 12:20 p.m. — Jessup Train Station, east side of Church Street, north side of the tracks (Station Park)
  • 1 p.m. — Olyphant's Queen City Train Station, North Valley Avenue at Lackawanna Avenue
  • 1:45 p.m. — Dickson City Train Station, northeast side of Boulevard Avenue, southeast side of the tracks
  • 3 p.m. — Steamtown National Historic Site, 350 Cliff St., Scranton

Toys for Tots

Marines are expected to be aboard the train to accept new, unwrapped toy donations for Toys for Tots. Donations are optional.