ALL ABOARD! Carillon Park Rail Festival returns to Carillon Historical Park on Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, 2026, giving guests the chance to ride not one — but TWO — trains!

Hop aboard "the little train" — the small-scale train operated by the Carillon Park Rail & Steam Society since 1988 — where riders sit atop the train cars for a one-of-a-kind experience. Meanwhile, "the big train" — the nearly mile-long Carillon Park Railroad — carries up to 120 passengers through the park in open-air coaches.

This year marks the 175th anniversary of the 1851 Cincinnati, one of the earliest passenger trains to arrive in Dayton and the locomotive that inspired the Carillon Park Railroad. The railroad builds upon founder Edward Deeds’ original vision for Carillon Park while offering guests a new way to experience the campus. 

Rail Festival also features numerous model train displays, each a painstakingly crafted miniature world. Guests can watch tiny trains wind through circuses, farms, and even scenes of miniature firefighters battling a burning building.

The festival showcases model trains of all sizes, from tiny Z-scale trains small enough to fit in the palm of your hand to G-scale trains as large as a loaf of bread. 

Beyond train rides, visitors can enjoy live steam engines, historical exhibits, food vendors, train vendors, Culp’s Café, Carillon Brewing Co., the Carousel of Dayton Innovation, performances by the Carillon Concert Band, and more.

While the festival takes place during the height of summer, many attractions are located in air-conditioned spaces, offering comfortable fun for families and rail enthusiasts of all ages.

Carillon Historical Park

Saturday, June 27, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — rain or shine.

Regular admission fees apply. FREE to Dayton History members.