Thursday, November 29, 2012

Visit the Indiana State Fair... in December?!


The Indiana State Fair, it’s an August tradition.  And a December tradition in the making!

This year, for the first time, the Indiana State Fair is a featured component of the Eiteljorg Museum’s popular holiday attraction, Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure.

Jingle Rails is an elaborate “locomotive wonderland” featuring seven ultra-sized G-scale model trains traveling nearly 1,200 feet of track that winds through national parks of the American West and Indianapolis attractions like the Soldiers and Sailors Monument and the Great Indiana State Fair!

It is really cool to see these wonderful model trains not just rolling down the tracks, but going in and out of tunnels and winding around treacherous mountain curves while passing scale-model versions of the Grand Canyon and Old Faithful.  The State Fair portion of the exhibit was added after visitors were asked last year what local attractions they would like to see.  Applied Imagination, the company that created the exhibit, did a masterful job in depicting the fair’s famous Midway arch, Coliseum and other elements.
 
As you can see, the detail is incredible… especially when you consider that all the structures are made of natural materials like sticks, nuts and moss.  It is one thing to see the photos, but it’s much more stimulating to experience it all right in front of you with the trains running and the geysers blowing.  There’s even a working waterfall! 

 

 
 
 
Jingle Rails is open every day through January 6, but if you can’t find time to make it downtown to see the exhibit in person, this quick video will have to suffice.  Happy Holidays!


 
 
Submitted by Andy Klotz