Tweetsie Railroad closes for fall season as region reels from Helene

BLOWING ROCK, N.C. (WGHP) — Tweetsie Railroad theme park will remain closed for the fall season after it was damaged by Hurricane Helene, the company announced Thursday.

“Portions of the park are still without power, and repairs and storm cleanup continues. The state has issued a Western North Carolina Travel Advisory and Watauga County has a curfew in effect from 11PM to 7AM,” the company posted on Facebook Tuesday.

Chris Robbins, president of Tweetsie Railroad, said in a statement, “This storm has touched the lives of so many in ways we never anticipated. Many of our team members and local families are facing tremendous challenges, and we want to ensure they have the time and resources they need to get back on their feet. Their safety and well-being are our top priority.”

Tweetsie Railroad encourages those who want to help to consider purchasing gift cards or certificates from local businesses that rely heavily on seasonal tourism.

On Oct. 7, Tweetsie Railroad announced the launch of the #TweetsieMatchingChallenge to support Helene disaster relief efforts. The park made a $10,000 to Samaritan’s Purse and will match up to an additional $10,000 for contributions made to any local organization actively supporting hurricane relief efforts.

To participate in the #TweetsieMatchingChallenge, donors can:

• Donate to any local organization involved in hurricane relief.
• Visit Tweetsie.com to self-report their donation and trigger the matching funds from Tweetsie Railroad.
• Share their involvement using the hashtag #TweetsieMatchingChallenge to encourage others to contribute.

Visit Tweetsie Railroad’s website for updates and additional information.

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