The Trains at NorthPark Return to Dallas This Holiday Season — New Experiences Make The Annual Event Better Than Ever
Raising Much-Needed Awareness and Funds for Ronald McDonald House of Dallas
BY Emily potts // 12.03.24
The Ribbon Cutting at The Trains at NorthPark. (Photo by Tamytha Cameron Photography)
The 2024 Trains at NorthPark, benefiting Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD) and presented by Bank of Texas, brings a slice of the North Pole straight to Dallas. It’s impossible for kids and adults not to feel the magic of the holidays immediately upon stepping inside the expansive and impressive exhibit of 1,600 feet of rail track that takes you on a tour of not only our city’s greatest attractions but through the sights and scenes of our nation — all through the beauty of railcars with a purpose, as they raise much- needed funds and awareness for RMHD.
Co-chaired by Becky Jones and Cory Bowen, the Trains at NorthPark is a tradition of hope and a journey of fun, family, and fundraising. The 2024 event is bigger and better than ever in its new location on Level One of NorthPark Center and enhanced with a S.T.E.A.M.-inspired experience, Sensory Friendly Hours, technology for visually impaired patrons, a LEGO feature, and brand-new merchandise.
From high to low, everywhere you look, mesmerizing trains decorate the space. Individuals and organizations alike have purchased railcars to decorate and honor loved ones. But, despite all the new enhancements this year, the heart of the event remains the same.
For 37 years, the Trains at NorthPark has been a cornerstone event for RMHD, which offers free lodging, meals, transportation, and other services to an average of more than 70 families every day. RMHD provides essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare. Approximately 75 percent of RMHD’s families travel from within Texas, 21 percent from out of state, and four percent internationally for medical care for their child/children. In 2023, the organization housed families from 13 countries, including Belgium, Peru, Indonesia, Kenya, and South Africa.
In addition to emotional support, RMHD also provides these families with substantial financial relief, averaging approximately $3,891 per family (with an average stay of two weeks). The top three diagnoses families face while staying at RMHD include orthopedic, oncology, and cardiology, and the average length of stay at RMHD is 12 days. The support RMHD provides, and thus the importance of the iconic Trains at NorthPark holiday tradition, cannot be understated.
This year, the event hopes to raise $1.1 million to ensure its ability to meet the growing demand for its critical and quality provision of hope and a “home away from home” that so many families depend on during such stressful periods of their lives.
SHOP
So, go ahead — no matter your age, lose track of time at the Trains at NorthPark this holiday season until January 5, 2025.
