Holiday Express

All aboard for Olbrich’s Holiday Express at Olbrich Botanical Gardens from December 1 through 31! This year, the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society’s large-scale model trains wind through an enchanted land of faerie cottages and imaginative versions of two Madison landmarks during Olbrich’s annual holiday flower and model train show. Be sure to admire the faerie capitol, reminiscent of Wisconsin’s Capitol building, complete with birch-bark roof shingles and other embellishments, and a miniature Monona Terrace, while model trains whiz by. Hundreds of colorful poinsettias and holiday trees provide a festive backdrop. New this year - evergreen trees in the show are decorated with energy-efficient LED lights, which use 90 percent less energy than typical incandescent holiday lights.

Olbrich’s Holiday Express is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Olbrich will close at 2 p.m. on December 24, and will be closed all day on December 25 and January 1. Olbrich’s Holiday Express is sponsored by American Family Insurance.

Admission to Olbrich’s Holiday Express for the general public is $3 for adults and $2 for children ages 3 to 12. Children 2 and under are free. Admission to the tropical Bolz Conservatory is included. Admission is always free for Olbrich Botanical Society members. Admission is free Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Please make reservations for groups of ten or more. Call 608-246-4550 to schedule your group’s visit.

Back by popular demand, the model trains wind through whimsical faerie villages, complete with cottages, castles, and local landmarks, made by artist Tatiana Katara. All the dwellings are creatively embellished with natural materials. Some houses have birch-bark siding, a chimney made of nuts, dried flower decorations, and bushes made of moss. Visit www.faeriefactory.com for more information about the faerie villages featured in the show.

Katara will be holding Faerie Cottage and Faerie Furniture Workshops at Olbrich next year, teaching participants to make their own unique faerie cottages.

During the show, Olbrich’s Photo Depot provides a holiday backdrop of evergreens and poinsettias where visitors can take their own family photo. Relax with family and friends and enjoy coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and sugar cookies. Olbrich’s Growing Gifts shop will also be open during the show, loaded with garden-related gifts for friends and family. Enjoy festive holiday music on Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. during December. Olbrich's Holiday Concert Series features holiday music for the entire family!

During Olbrich’s Holiday Express, members of the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society come from all over the state to show off their large-scale model trains. You may see a bullet train, steam train, Santa train, circus train, or freight train, depending on the day.

Although Olbrich’s train show is indoors, the large-scale model trains used in garden railroads are designed to run outdoors year round. Garden railroads combine the love of gardening with the fascination of working model trains. Many garden railroad enthusiasts create elaborate garden settings for their outdoor railroads. Many of these include intricate water features, working light fixtures, and tiny buildings that match the scale of the trains.

Photo by Joe De Maio	Olbrich's Holiday Express Flower and Model Train Show December 1 - 31, 2007
Olbrich Botanical Gardens will close at 2 p.m. on Dec. 24, and will be closed all day on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1
All aboard for Olbrich’s Holiday Express at Olbrich Botanical Gardens from December 1 through 31! This year, the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society’s large-scale model trains wind through an enchanted land of faerie cottages and imaginative versions of two Madison landmarks during Olbrich’s annual holiday flower and model train show. Be sure to admire the faerie capitol, reminiscent of Wisconsin’s Capitol building, complete with birch-bark roof shingles and other embellishments, and a miniature Monona Terrace, while model trains whiz by. Hundreds of colorful poinsettias and holiday trees provide a festive backdrop. New this year - evergreen trees in the show are decorated with energy-efficient LED lights, which use 90 percent less energy than typical incandescent holiday lights. Olbrich’s Holiday Express is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Olbrich will close at 2 p.m. on December 24, and will be closed all day on December 25 and January 1. Olbrich’s Holiday Express is sponsored by American Family Insurance. Admission to Olbrich’s Holiday Express for the general public is $3 for adults and $2 for children ages 3 to 12. Children 2 and under are free. Admission to the tropical Bolz Conservatory is included. Admission is always free for Olbrich Botanical Society members. Admission is free Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Please make reservations for groups of ten or more. Call 608-246-4550 to schedule your group’s visit. Back by popular demand, the model trains wind through whimsical faerie villages, complete with cottages, castles, and local landmarks, made by artist Tatiana Katara. All the dwellings are creatively embellished with natural materials. Some houses have birch-bark siding, a chimney made of nuts, dried flower decorations, and bushes made of moss. Visit www.faeriefactory.com for more information about the faerie villages featured in the show. Katara will be holding Faerie Cottage and Faerie Furniture Workshops at Olbrich next year, teaching participants to make their own unique faerie cottages. During the show, Olbrich’s Photo Depot provides a holiday backdrop of evergreens and poinsettias where visitors can take their own family photo. Relax with family and friends and enjoy coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and sugar cookies. Olbrich’s Growing Gifts shop will also be open during the show, loaded with garden-related gifts for friends and family. Enjoy festive holiday music on Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. during December. Olbrich's Holiday Concert Series features holiday music for the entire family! During Olbrich’s Holiday Express, members of the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society come from all over the state to show off their large-scale model trains. You may see a bullet train, steam train, Santa train, circus train, or freight train, depending on the day. Although Olbrich’s train show is indoors, the large-scale model trains used in garden railroads are designed to run outdoors year round. Garden railroads combine the love of gardening with the fascination of working model trains. Many garden railroad enthusiasts create elaborate garden settings for their outdoor railroads. Many of these include intricate water features, working light fixtures, and tiny buildings that match the scale of the trains.