The annual visit of the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots Train to the Village of Montgomery will be a little more special this year than usual, as it coincides with another village tradition - the Old Fashioned Holiday.
For the first time, both events will occur on the same day.

Holiday events will take place on Saturday, December 11, beginning with a Handcrafted Vendor Fair at Montgomery Montessori School on Clinton Street. The festivities include hot chocolate and hot soup to go from local churches, holiday music from the Valley Central Middle School Chamber Music Club and an appearance from Jolly Old Saint Nick.

The Toys for Tots Train will make its annual appearance at Railroad Avenue at 3 p.m.

“They are sending a train and caboose in here just for the Village of Montgomery,” said trustee Mike Hembury who coordinates the event each year for the village.

Normally the train carrying Santa Claus makes a brief stop in the village while traveling along the Wallkill Valley rail line through Middletown and on to Port Jervis. Residents are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy. All toys collected will go to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation for distribution. Each year, the train collects more than 25,000 donated toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation, which redistributes them to underprivileged children within the collection area. This year’s visit will be a little longer. The train and caboose will be in Montgomery for about 90 minutes.

This year’s events also include a four-mile Santa’s Toy Trot and kids fun run. Participants are encouraged to bring a toy for Toys for Tots. The Old Fashioned Christmas celebration will include an outdoor street fair on Clinton Street, with vendors and local businesses setting up tables. A tree lighting will take place at 5 p.m. in front of village hall.