Glorious sunshine, live stage performances, and 111 schools made the 2026 Letterland Days at Tweetsie Railroad a day to remember for thousands of young readers across North Carolina.
Every spring, the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina become the most exciting place to learn to read. Young learners board a historic steam train at Tweetsie Railroad and ride straight into the world of reading - and this year, for the 19th time, the magic was better than ever. With 111 schools and thousands of students making the journey for a day none of them will forget.
This is the kind of event that reminds you why early literacy matters — and why how we introduce children to reading is just as important as the words on the page.
A tradition born in 2007
Letterland Days at Tweetsie Railroad began in 2007 as a partnership between the Letterland literacy program and Tweetsie Railroad, the beloved Wild West–themed theme park nestled in the North Carolina mountains near Blowing Rock. The idea was as simple as it was brilliant: bring the Letterland characters children know from their classrooms to life in a fully immersive, real-world setting. Nineteen years later, it's still working.
A day full of Letterland adventures
This year's live stage performances were a standout. Watching the characters they know from their phonics lessons act, sing, and perform is the moment reading stops feeling like schoolwork and starts feeling like an adventure.
Beyond the stage, the park buzzed with the full Tweetsie Letterland experience. From Eddy Elephant's Gem Mine to Firefighter Fred's Ferris Wheel and Talking Tess's Train, every corner offered a new encounter with a familiar face. These aren't just rides and activities — they're the classroom brought to life, giving children a joyful, tangible connection to the characters and sounds they've worked so hard to learn.
Enjoy some images from the day:
Share:
What Are Fluency Passages and Why Does Every K–2 Reader Need Them?