Where Believing Begins
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Where Believing Begins
Polar Magic climbs aboard in Historic Stearns
By Shane Gilreath
[email protected]
Every year as the leaves fall and the air develops a chill, Historic Stearns, Kentucky, opens its doors to Christmas lovers from around the world for The Polar Express, and every year, as McCreary County’s leading tourism draw becomes a regional wonderland, it delivers unforgettable memories. If you’ve ridden The Polar Express at Big South Fork Scenic Railway, then you already know it’s magic. You’ve probably even taken a piece of that magic with you. Maybe it’s the bell, the first gift of Christmas, which Santa passes along to passengers aboard the train, or maybe it’s the family memory of the nervous giggles of youngsters climbing aboard, destined for the North Pole. Whatever it is, it’s something special. Polar shifts the atmosphere. You can feel the spirit of Christmas in the air.
If you’re a Christmas lover and looking for a holiday tradition closer to home, Polar is a hidden gem a mere 20-miles from Oneida. And there is, indeed, something special there. More than merriment and glee, it’s the only officially licensed Polar Express in Kentucky, and it’s consistently been ranked among the top Polar experiences in the world. Remarkably, in its very first year, some eight seasons ago, it ranked in the top 25 percentile globally – an impressive feat for a small-town operation that has grown both in scale and renown ever since. Today, it draws visitors from across the globe – some 18,000 in 2024 – a testament to its charm and its dedication to the 2004 Warner Brother’s film and Chris van Allsburg’s 1985 children’s book of the same name. The objective, annually, is to the bring the classic holiday tale to vivid life.
To make it happen, Big South Fork Scenic Railway partners with Rail Events, Inc, the Colorado-based rail event specialists that licenses railroad and museum operators throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The ride captures all the magic of the beloved story, including the snowy journey to the North Pole, the hobo character hidden from disbelieving eyes, the first gift of Christmas – that famed silver bell from Santa himself – and even the Northern Lights, a 2025 edition to the production. Every element of the ride – from the decorations along the platform and inside the historic depot, to the performances delivered by local actors – is designed to immerse riders in a fantasy and deliver each believer – man, woman, and child – with the timeless spirit of Christmas.
“It is the community involvement that makes our Polar special,” said Crystal Taylor, Executive Director of the McCreary County Heritage Foundation, which operates Big South Fork Scenic Railway. “We have well over 200 volunteers.” Some of those volunteers have constructed actual structures in Stearns and at Barthell Coal Camp, which serves as the North Pole during the month of Polar Express – giving passengers a brick-and-mortar North Pole experience. It’s there, after all, where the train picks up the most famous tourist of all – Santa Claus.
“And of course, I’d be remiss not to say that tourists are a big thing for us. Not only to Stearns,” Taylor said, “but to the entire area. They spend money in local businesses. Hotels, restaurants, in Scott and McCreary County.”
Taylor’s assessment is fairly accurate. The excitement Polar brings is palpable, not only to passengers that climb aboard but also for local businesses that see a spike in activity, weeks after the region’s tourist season has traditionally ended. Mehg Marshall, proprietor of Pottery by Mehg, located along Henderson Street adjacent to the depot, has witnessed every Polar event since 2017.
“We love seeing them come in,” Marshall said, who hand tosses collectible pottery inside her Stearns shop. “They come all dressed up in pajamas and carry blankets. The excitement of the families is something to see.”
For those inside the tourism industry, the gravity of Polar cannot be denied. Polar fever takes over to the point people quote its script and speak its language. “I’m at Polar” might be a popular saying. “Polaring” has become a verb. McCreary County Tourism Director Michelle Perry told SCN that she couldn’t emphasize enough the economic and cultural impact the event has had. “The Polar Express has been truly instrumental in McCreary County’s tourism growth. It has become one of our most impactful tourism drivers,” Perry said. “It brings families from all over the world and shines a bright, positive spotlight on McCreary County.”
Indeed, the numbers are staggering. According to Taylor, the 2024 event – taking place in just over a month’s time – drew visitors from 17 different countries, with domestic riders traveling from as far away as California. Previous years have seen guests from France, Russia, Italy, Germany, Mexico, China, Sweden, Spain, and beyond, all eager to experience the magic of this holiday tradition.
And that magical ride? For passengers – whether they say Joyeux Noel or Merry Christmas – it’s more than a journey down the historic tracks of the Kentucky and Tennessee Railway. Children and adults alike board the train to a world where the snow falls regardless of temperature, where train whistles awaken both a Hero Boy and the child within, and where Santa’s sleigh bell rings for every believer. The dancing chefs, attentive waiters, playful elves – and that snicker doodle cookie – create a living story, a performance that can temporarily suspend belief and leave the troubles of the world behind.
Nothing tells that story more than a passenger from 2019. On a cold November night, as the town’s Gold Coat Ambassadors huddled to greet passengers, a small young boy – dressed in the robe and pajamas of the story’s Hero Boy – nervously climbed aboard. Unbeknownst to the actors, the crew, or the production team, the child was special needs. It made no difference. The cast, the crew, the greeters in Gold Coats immediately began interacting with him – he was, after all, dressed as their Hero Boy. “He was nervous at first, and, in fact, scared,” his mother later revealed. “Once aboard,” she said, “he was the most excited I’ve ever seen him.” The Polar Express had made a difference. To all who were there that night, that one passenger – a small young boy – will forever serve as a testament to the magic built in Stearns, when experiences transcend words.
In a nutshell, that’s Polar Magic.
From the moment music swells in the air and intermingles with snow blown from machines resting high in the air, no matter where you’re from or who you are – whether you’re dressed as the Hero Boy or in a down coat to guard away the Kentucky chill – the magic takes to the air, in hearts, and in memories carried home, a little piece of Christmas that makes a difference and can last forever.
So, as the conductor says at the beginning of the production – and Historic Stearns beckons you now – “well, are ya’ comin’?”
For families seeking the ultimate holiday experience, The Polar Express runs through December 23, 2025. More for information, visit stearnsthepolarexpressride.com
(In full disclosure, Shane Gilreath is a former Director of the McCreary County Heritage Foundation, overseeing The Polar Express in 2018 and 2019)
