The Kettle Valley Steam Railway will offer train rides on Nov. 25, as part of the Festival of Lights weekend.

Gerry Conrad, president of the railway鈥檚 board of directors, said the Summerland Chamber of Commerce had approached the railway about offering the rides.

The purpose was to give visitors something additional to do on the weekend, between the 30th annual Festival of Lights on Friday evening and the Light Up the Vines events on Saturday evening.

As a result, the railway will offer train rides on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The rides will use the enclosed coaches, not the open-air cars. Passengers will receive hot chocolate and cookies for the ride.

Conrad said the late November trains will help showcase the community 鈥渋n the crisp, early winter air.鈥� He added that the experience for passengers will not be the same as the summer season rides or the annual Christmas trains, held in December.

Already the 1:30 p.m. train has nearly sold out and spaces on the 10:30 a.m. train are selling quickly.

鈥淚t looks like it鈥檚 going to be fairly well received,鈥� Conrad said.

In addition to the rides during the Festival of Lights weekend, Conrad said the annual Christmas trains will be offered in December.

These trains have long been popular among railway passengers, and this year, additional rides have been added to accommodate increased demand.

Two additional train rides have almost sold out, and more may be added later.

鈥淭he Christmas trains are extraordinarily popular,鈥� Conrad said. 鈥淭he train itself at Christmas is a whole different experience. It really is our version of Polar Express.鈥�