JIM THORPE, Pa. — The first of many trains rolls out of Jim Thorpe this weekend and throughout October.
From now until October 29, the Fall Foliage Festival is taking over downtown Jim Thorpe on the weekends.
"We have lots of excursions out of Reading, Pottsville, and also Pittston. Lots of tickets are sold, but there are still tickets available as well. Those people can come down, enjoy the fall festival here, see the beautiful fall foliage, see the Lehigh Gorge. It's shaping out to be an inspiring and busy weekend.," said Jennifer Frederickson with the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway.
The festival features handmade arts and crafts, free live music, and children's activities, along with all the businesses and restaurants.
Jim Thorpe Trolley Tours also offers a new haunted historical tour that starts on Friday the 13th.
"We will pick up at the courthouse and go by the Old Jail Museum. Some haunted places in town as well as the cemetery in Summit Hill, and it will be live-narrated ghost stories," said Lynn Humphreys, co-owner of Jim Thorpe Trolley Tours.
The Jim Thorpe Tourism agency, which puts on the Fall Foliage Festival, estimates 50,000 people will visit downtown during the month. Despite the rainy weather, businesses say they expect the weekend to be very busy.
"It certainly brings in a lot of people. We love it. Hopefully, we're fully stocked for and ready for them. Sometimes when it rains, people are looking for something to do anyhow, so they come in and shop, which makes it even busier for us," said Jun Gaudreau, Naturally Yours owner.
If you're visiting Jim Thorpe this weekend and don't want to be stuck without a parking spot, the Carbon County commissioners want to remind everyone that the Fall Foliage shuttle bus will be in service.
Visitors can reserve a parking spot at Mauch Chunk Lake Park and be shuttled downtown.
To reserve your spot, click here.