Calling all Thomas the train fans (adults and children alike!) Tickets are still available for July 17-19 and July 24-26 .
A day out with Thomas consists of a 20 minute train ride on ”Thomas” and activities for the wee ones such as music.
The train stops in St Thomas Ontario at the Elgin County Railway Museam, and appears to be the only Canadian venue left for the year.
Tickets are $20 each and children under 2 are free. Click here for more info and to purchase.
While I know this isn’t a ”deal” every few days I am going to try to post a summer activity that is not over 20$ a person and or free (free is so much better!)
Do you have a a pocket friendly family summer event that you’d like posted? Email me at Sally at Smartcanucks.ca and I will try my best to accomodate.
I took my 3 year old a couple weekends ago to see Thomas and we had a blast! It is almost more fun to sit and watch the train go by than to ride on it, but he loved every minute of his Thomas ride.
Great idea to post activities.
london ontario has folkfest, rib fest, sunfest (tons of amazing bands from around the world free) and there is also the children’s festival – free. clean bathrooms on site, no restrictions on taking anything into the park food wise – you can take your dog but it is crowded and the dogs always look freaked out
if you are taking a toddler i would recommend a stroller even if they are good walkers…for the above reason…little ones get under foot easy
A Day Out With Thomas will be in Squamish, BC at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park on June 6 & 7 and June 13 & 14 as well.
This event is awesome –
Before you go to St Thomas(my hometown!) take a minute to read “Dumbo the Elephant” to your kids. On the west end of town there is a monument of “Jumbo” – the elephant who saves “Dumbo” in the story – this is a true story and it happened in St Thomas, Ontario – while the Elephant was in town with the “Barnum and Bailey circus” Legend has it he was trying to save the a smaller elephant “Tom Thumb”….now you know!
Nice way to make a day of it!!
Thanks Victoria, I would be intersted to know of any other points of interest in the area, to make a weekend of it.
As a non-caucasian immigrant who has taken his family to many a small town event in Ontario , my advise to people of color on this board is: Don’t go. There will invariably be a rude boor either behind the counter or with you waiting in line who will intentionally do something that will make you (and your kids) feel not welcome. Most of these small towns are in dire economic straits and there is a lot of resentment among the unionized workforce. Stay away. Stick to Toronto.
Thanks Victoria! I had no idea!
I’ve heard there is a free splash pad in St. Thomas (Lions Club?)–can anyone confirm? Directions/location? We are going to see Thomas and I want to make a day of it.
Here’s an idea- Peterborough Zoo. It’s got a free splash pad, beautiful park with picnic area. Unique animals- anything from barnyard animals to large cats, otters, and monkeys. Best of all it’s FREE. There is a small fee of $1.00 for a train ride, but that’s optional. It’s a real treat to go there and my kiddies loved it!
Hello all, as for splash pads. There are a few 4 + in London, just 15 -20 min drive from St.Thomas. I live in London and plan on attending the Thomas event too. Maybe if there are some SCers that are all going, we could make a meet and greet of it??
As for Sro Ragu , I am sooo very sorry to hear that, that has been your experience. That is not what I have ever felt, but I am not in your shoes.
It is just said that you have had things happen to you and your family to make you feel that way. Makes me sad.
sro i think you might have had one bad experience that perhaps wasnt about color but the fact that the person was a bitter twit. london has a huge varied cultural population and i have never heard of such issues..and for the record my hubby is not white and my kids are mixed. sunfest is bands from around the world..you go and it is everything from polo shirt types to guys walking around with dreads smoking a joint..totally laid back. and i grew up in toronto..many areas will treat you like crap because of color, forest hill, yonge/eglin, rosedale, yorkville etc.
Hey Sro Ragu,
That’s not fair. Say what you like but your comments ring similar to those you seem to be commenting on. I’m caucasion and proud to say I’m not racist. Please don’t brand us all as such. In effect you are showing some prejudice of your own.
Cheers!
To Meisagirl: Nope , it wasn’t an isolated incident. Happened at Guelph , St. Catherines , Kingston , Fergus , Collingwood and yes , even in Toronto. It is never a big cut. Always hundreds of tiny cuts. Like the person sitting on a bench getting up and moving away when you sit down. Like the operator asking to see your ticket when he doesn’t ask any of the other 20 who boarded the tram with you. But in Toronto it is different. The person who does this in Toronto looks and behaves boorish to everybody. The person who does this in Guelph looks like he behaves this way only to you and not to others.
To Mark: I never said ALL caucasians are racist. I can very well understand why some of you are that way. My countrymen would be no different given the same circumstances. This would be the same advice that I would give any caucasian who visits my country: Avoid the small towns. Stick to the cities.
Sro Ragu If you haven’t tried it, don’t knock it. 99% of the feedback we’ve received from the previous years has been positive. Some people you just can’t please no matter what you do, thus the 1%. Judging by the baseless comments you have made about THIS event, I think you probably fit into that category. Even if you come, you will leave unhappy because you were determined to dislike it in the first place.
Of that 1% who do complain, the majority of those people always say “I didn’t enjoy myself”. Well don’t be so selfish people! You are forgetting the event is for your children. If they have a good time, that’s all that matters. In the five years we’ve been doing this I don’t recall ANY child under 5 years old that didn’t enjoy themselves.
I’m quite excited to go to this! It looks to be of so much fun!
Hello, I am traveling from Chile to Michigan but want to go to Day out with Thomas in Ontario. Does anybody know if it will be a problem for my husband, who has Chilean nationality, but has a U.S. Visa, to travel to and from Canada? If you don´t know, do you know where I can get this information. My children, ages 4 1/2 and 2, are huge Thomas fans and this may be our only chance to go to Day out with Thomas. Thanks!
sro ragu, wake up and smell the coffee, people go to these places for the children not so they can make non whites unconfortabe and out of place,and maybe youre twisting a situation like the get up and walk away situation to justify the way you feel about the way the world sees you,whites are not out to get you! im not saying that it doesnt happen but the fact you say that 3 or 4 towns it did, make me belive that maybe its in your head, and to bad if youre let your children see it through you, cause thats not how they would see it themselfs, and btw im in a union and most of our 3400 member are non white, regards
I agree, this is a great post.A successful blog needs unique, useful content that interests the readers.
I agree with sro ragu.
Looking for “A DAY OUT WITH THOMAS” tickets for this Saturday, July 17, 2010 @ 1:15p.m. or anytime after that.
My son is a huge Thomas fan but could not buy tickets until my husband got his work schedule. He is off Saturday. We would be coming from Ajax, ON (aprox. 2 to 2 1/2 hours away). I understand there may be limited tickets available at the event but I don’t want to disappoint my son either.
PLEASE HELP!
Hey was wondering if anybody wanted to meet out there and make a day of it? I’m travelling from whitby and it’s a fairly long drive and I would like to attend the zoo and see the elephant as the children will be excited to do all of that, please let me know, I’m not the greatest with directions although would like to head out there on sat the 23 and come back at nigth or even camp put there if possible, anyone want to get together and meet up so our children can enjoy the day? I have a 9 year old and a 2 year old and they both love thomas ( well my eldest in support of her brother…lol)
please advise
Go to waterworks park, it has a free splash pad & it is a gorgeous park. or you can go to penafore park. it is also very beatiful & has a free splash pad. They are both in St. thomas. You can also go to port Stanley 15mins from St. Thomas it is a beach & has many shops, train rides, bars restaurants. etc