Lilly and Ayden Franzen of Poland admire the G-gauge display at last year’s Train Fest. The fourth annual event will take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 16 and 17.

The Great Falls Model Railroad Club will celebrate the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival this weekend with its fourth annual Train Fest, a two-day, family fun event in the Railroad Club building at 144 Mill Street in Auburn.

The two-story, wheelchair accessible building, across the street from the Barker Mill, will be decorated with model hot-air balloons, some of which will float temporarily in the blue skies of the Club’s four permanent model train layouts. Railroad enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy seeing these layouts in operation with new scenery details for this event.

As guest engineers, children will run trains on the club’s extensive HO layout, while younger children will have fun operating Thomas the Tank Engine in the G-gauge room and playing with other age-appropriate trains. There will be railroad-related games and activities for the entire family. Operation Lifesaver will be on hand to provide railroad safety tips and materials and model railroad supplies and Train Time videos will be available to buy.

The festivities will take place on Saturday, August 16 from 8:00 to 4:00 and Sunday, August 17 from noon to 5:00. Admission will be $3; children under 12 will enter for free. For more information, see www.greatfallsmodelrrclub.org.