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SANTA BARBARA, CA — All aboard for a beloved holiday tradition! The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) will welcome the Holiday Festival of Trains for a special two-day celebration on Saturday and Sunday, December 12 and 13, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For more than 30 years, local resident and private collector Dave Halbeisen has shared his remarkable model train collection with the Santa Barbara community, transforming the holiday season into a miniature world of locomotives, snowy landscapes, colorful characters, and nostalgia.
Long hosted at the Goleta Valley Library, the Holiday Festival of Trains is moving to the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum this year, where SBMM is proud to provide a new home for this treasured community tradition and help keep the trains running for a new generation of families.
“We are delighted to welcome Dave and the Holiday Festival of Trains to the museum,” said Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Dean Noble. “So many local families have wonderful memories of seeing these trains over the years. We love the idea of helping continue that tradition while introducing it to new audiences here at the harbor.”
Visitors will enjoy a sampling of Halbeisen’s extensive collection, with multiple trains chugging along the tracks through festive scenes filled with miniature people, buildings, animals, and winter landscapes. The display includes Lionel Standard and three-rail O-Gauge trains, with pieces spanning eras from prewar Lionel to more modern trains and accessories.
Part of the magic has always been watching the trains come to life. Halbeisen’s collection combines craftsmanship, engineering, history, and play, offering longtime train enthusiasts plenty to appreciate while giving younger visitors the chance to experience the wonder of model railroading firsthand.
Over the decades, the Festival of Trains has become much more than a model train display. It has brought families, friends, collectors, and curious visitors together around the timeless appeal of trains during the holiday season.
Its new setting at SBMM also offers a fitting connection. Railroads and ships have long been part of the larger story of transportation, commerce, engineering, and the movement of people and goods. Hosting the Festival of Trains gives museum visitors another opportunity to explore the creativity and ingenuity behind the machines that have connected communities for generations.
Whether the Festival of Trains is already part of your family’s holiday tradition or this will be your first visit, SBMM invites guests of all ages to come experience the miniature magic. Admission is free for visitors who mention “Trains” at the front kiosk.
Event Details
Holiday Festival of Trains
Saturday & Sunday, December 12–13, 2026
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
113 Harbor Way
Santa Barbara, CA
FREE admission for visitors who mention “Trains” at the front kiosk.
For additional information, visit sbmm.org.
About the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
Founded in 2000, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) connects people to the rich maritime history, culture, science, and environment of the Santa Barbara Channel. Through engaging exhibitions, educational programs, and community experiences, SBMM inspires curiosity, fosters ocean stewardship, and deepens understanding of the region’s enduring relationship with the sea. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, SBMM has also been recognized by Marina Life Magazine as one of the top 10 maritime museums in the United States. Learn more at sbmm.org.
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