Santa Train, Napa Valley Register Article

“All aboard!” called Napa Valley Wine Train managers donning Christmas stocking hats as they paced up and down the decked halls of the rail cars on Wednesday night. They were putting the final touches on the train's departures to the North Pole otherwise known as the Yountville fire station while kids eagerly looked at holiday lights out the windows and sang along to “Feliz Navidad” streaming through the loudspeakers.

Throughout the holiday season, these kinds of evening excursions to Santa’s workshop are not unusual for the Wine Train. In fact, it will make a total of 14 trips this month to the North Pole, nine whole miles north of the city. But Wednesday's trip was a special one, because this ride was a second annual event in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley to offer members and their families no-cost tickets on the glitzy railroad.

Erin and Dan Grech and their three children, Jack, Annie and Nellie, were among 289 people – including 162 kids – aboard the special Santa Train ride. The Browns Valley family became members of the Club through Jack’s school. Erin Grech said when she first heard about the opportunity to ride the Wine Train from Jack’s first-grade teacher, she was surprised. “I thought it was just like coming to the station and drinking hot cocoa,” she said. But when she learned her family would get to have the full Santa Train experience, “it was a no-brainer. I grew up in Napa, and I’ve never been on the Wine Train,” she said. “So it

was really cool to have this offered to us through the Club, we didn't really expect anything like this. Actually, being a tourist in your own town for once is kind of nice.”

Jack, Annie and Nellie excitedly shared that they’d even heard a rumor going around Santa himself might be making an appearance on their train. They turned out to be right. This year’s event featured all of the Wine Train’s signature “Santa Train Jolly Journey” staples: caroling, coloring books, hot cocoa, chocolate chip cookies and special visits from both Santa and Mrs. Claus throughout the hour-and-a-half ride from downtown Napa to Yountville and back. But this year, the Clubs added an extra surprise to the event.

After telling Saint Nick their holiday wish lists on the train all of the kids were greeted back at the McKinstry Street station by tables lined with gifts for each of them.

Greg Bouillerce, the Club's executive director, said the Yountville Chamber of Commerce, along with Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel Winery and Napa Valley Lodge employees, all helped to donate over 160 gifts for those in attendance.

The Club's first Santa Train event came together last winter when the Wine Train brought back its seasonable Santa Train experience for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Bouillerce said the Wine Train team approached him about the partnership, looking for ways to give back to Napa locals.

“There are a few different versions of Napa the one we market to the international tourist community and then the one our locals experience,” he said. “A lot of our families are priced out of the market to participate in experiences like the Wine Train, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity to offer.”

The Wine Train's general manager Nathan Davis said that especially around the holidays, he hears stories daily from families who have traditions surrounding the locomotive, a staple of Napa Valley tourism since 1989.

“We have people who are bringing their children that used to come with their parents,” he said, especially now that the Santa Train experience has been running for 30 years.

Davis said he and the Wine Train team are passionate about making the excursions accessible to more Napa locals and plan to continue working with the Boys & Girls Clubs for years to come. “We love the Boys & Girls Club mission, and we want to continue to have events like these to dig into our community and give back,” he said.