Festival of Trees and trains

MIKE JAMES
The Independent

ASHLAND November 18, 2007 01:45 am

— First-time visitors to the Paramount Arts Center can be overwhelmed by its ornate murals, chandeliers and Art Deco decor.
So imagine the reaction of Louisa resident Tina Ramey when she stepped into the auditorium for the first time ever, on the opening day of the annual Festival of Trees and Trains.
“The first thing I saw was the colors,” said Ramey, who brought her 7-year-old daughter Jessica to the festival. “It’s just breathtaking.”
Ramey and her daughter wanted especially to see the Wizard of Oz tree — they’re both big fans and Jessica has her own ruby slippers — but Ramey was taken by the summer-vacation-themed tree, trimmed with old Brownie cameras, Viewmaster discs and kitschy ’60s era playthings.
“This tree brings tears to my eyes,” she said. “I see so much of that in me.”
With the variety of themes, it would be surprising if anyone didn’t see a tree to move them.
There are 22 full-sized trees, 30 trees submitted by area schools and 40 miniature trees, plus wreaths.
The 54-foot train layout is in the large G-scale size used for garden railways and includes numerous buildings and a pond with animated skaters in addition to multiple trains running simultaneously.
There are toy trees, snowflake trees, a revolving mini-tree with Santa perched on a Harley underneath.
A northwoods tree includes a river running alongside.
“I would never have thought of decorating trees like this,” said Margie Smith gesturing around the sparkling auditorium.
Smith came in from Elliott County with her husband Johnny, sons Cody, 5, and Shannon, 3, daughter Hailey, 2 and nephew Wyatt Hobbs, 11.
Wyatt’s favorite was the tree with the beach theme, complete with a pink flamingo.
“I used to live in Florida,” he explained.
Then there were the trains. The trains add a certain vitality, said long-time train enthusiast Don Maxwell.
“Static displays don’t get as much attention as things that are moving,” he said. “There’s a big difference when people can interact.”
“The trains add a lot because of the tradition of trains under the tree,” said Scott Roseberry of Grayson.
It was Roseberry’s first visit to the festival. In previous years he’d always been working and couldn’t find the time, he said.
Roseberry made the time Saturday and came with his wife Becky and children Tyler, 7, and Natalie, 10.
“We come every year,” Becky Roseberry said. “I’ve been coming since I was a little girl and my mother brought me.”
The festival runs through Nov. 25, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, noon to 9 p.m. Sunday and 4 to10 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.
Admission is $6 per adult, $4 for those 55 years and older and children 4 to 12. Children 3 and under get in free.
Tuesday, the day of the Ashland Christmas parade, is family day; the entire family may see the trees and trains for $10.
Late night admission, from 8 to 9 p.m. daily, is $10 per carload of up to seven people or $20 per vanload of up to 15.

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