The 2026 event trains

Beyond the daily run, the railroad stages themed rides all year: chocolate in February, wine all summer, craft beer in the fall and a one-hour Christmas train for families. Event seats sell out well before regular ones, so this is the calendar to book against.

The 2026 calendar

Chocolate Lovers’ Festival - February 12 to 15, $175: chocolate pairings on the rails around Valentine’s weekend. Uncorked Wine Festival - every train day in May, $175, ages 21+: Verde Valley wineries pour on board. Grape Train Escape - select Saturday evenings June through September, $175, 21+: the wine version of the Starlight Ride. Ales on Rails - from September 13, $139, 21+: craft beer tastings through the canyon. Magical Christmas Journey - November 27 to December 23, $60 adults / $40 children: a separate one-hour evening ride to “the North Pole,” pitched squarely at families and priced accordingly.

How event booking differs

Event trains sell direct through the railroad at the prices above, and the 21+ rides are enforced - no infants on laps. Seating is assigned at booking, same as always, so groups book in one order. The standard Viator packages cover the regular daily train rather than event dates, but they remain the right call for the classic ride: about $186 with the champagne toast, appetizers, lunch voucher and free cancellation to 24 hours, against the $139 walk-up fare.

Picking your season

The events conveniently track the canyon’s own calendar: February chocolate lands in eagle season (bring binoculars), the May wine trains catch high water and wildflowers, the Grape Train rides summer dusk, and Ales on Rails runs into October’s golden cottonwoods - the prettiest weeks of the year. Whichever you pick, the planning details are identical: Clarkdale depot, arrive an hour early, free parking.