Hurlock celebrates its history with train rides at 32nd annual Fall Fest

HURLOCK, Md. – “People are drawn to trains. I mean, you played with them as a kid, didn’t you?”

Hurlock Town Manager John Avery said the town was incorporated in 1892, on the foundation of two rail lines that ran through its heart.

Now in its 32nd year, more people than ever have come out Fall Fest to celebrate and appreciate that history: “It’s a wonderful thing that this year in particular is probably the best one that we’ve had”

Even with selling out train tickets for the first time ever, Avery said that between the cost insurance, maintenance, and other expenses, the town won’t break even with the train operation.

Luckily profit isn’t why they do it. “It’s a losing proposition in that aspect. But the winning proposition is this– the interest in the town, the people coming in, it’s just a marvelous thing seeing this,” Avery said.

Visiting from Delaware, Tegan couldn’t let his son Grayson miss the train, and he said the boy’s love of locomotives is starting to rub off on him too. “We heard that it’s a festival today. My son loves trains, man…I’m starting to because of him, but it’s just cool, man. Cool experience. I’ve never, never experienced that as a kid, so why not?”

For Tommy who also lives in Delaware, the train ride was a birthday present: “My wife surprised me this year. My birthday’s coming up, so she was like, ‘We got train ride tickets.'”

Between the train and everything else fall fest has to offer, Tommy said he and his wife will be making this a tradition: “I have family in the area. We come down, the food’s good, the crowds are nice. It’s all, you know, everybody seems like family.”