Festivals, Fairs & Special Events, Tours & Attractions
Pullman Railroad Days July 25, 2026
Step aboard history and experience the future at Pullman Railroad Days, a family-friendly celebration of trains, technology, and transformation at Pullman National Historical Park on July 25th & 26th.
One hundred years later, these historic cars are coming home. Step aboard the iconic cars and walk through a century of stories. Explore the deeper Pullman history, venture beyond the tracks on walking tours, and dive into a STEAM fair celebrating a century of electric innovation.
Join Chicago broadcasting legend Geoffrey Baer as he talks with former Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo about Chicago’s evolution as the mighty railroad capital of North America (Sunday only). There is also live music sponsored by Goodman Theatre, rides on CPKC’s Puffer Belly Express, face painting, and plenty more to discover.
FREE activities (where no tickets are needed) include:
- STEAM Fair Hands-on experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math for kids, teens, and adults
- Miniature Train Rides & Exhibits See detailed layouts, moving trains, and creative designs up close
- Modern Rail & Transit Exhibits Learn how today’s rail systems are designed, powered, and operated
- Interactive Demos & Pop-Ups Build, tinker, experiment, and ask questions with engineers, artists, historians, and makers
Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/pullman-railroad-days-3194039
- Children under 12 are FREE, but must have a ticket to participate in the Historic Rail Car Tour.
- Free child tickets must be added during checkout alongside a ticketed adult.
- All visitors, adults and children, must have a ticket to access the rail cars!
This event is presented by Alstom in cooperation with Metra, Norfolk Southern, CPKC, Pullman Bank, CSX, Association of American Railroads, SC Johnson, Pritzker Traubert Foundation, National Parks Conservation Association, ARBA, and the Illinois Railway Museum.
