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Tickets for Pullen Park's Holiday Express sell out in 30 minutes

Pullen Park's popular Christmas event sold out in 30 minutes early Tuesday morning as parents rushed to scoop up online tickets.

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By
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
, Go Ask Mom editor
RALEIGH, N.C. — Pullen Park's popular Christmas event sold out in just 30 minutes early Tuesday morning as parents rushed to scoop up online tickets.

The Holiday Express will take over Pullen Park from Dec. 4 to Dec. 8 and Dec. 11 to Dec. 15 and feature holiday lights and displays, train rides, carousel rides, visits with Santa and more. The event has been growing in popularity for more than a decade, especially since the park reopened in 2011 after a massive renovation.

On Tuesday morning, according to the city, all 16,400 tickets were sold out by 6 a.m., 30 minutes after they went on sale through a special EventBrite online ticket purchasing site. Those who missed out can check the site again in the future – when someone requests a refund, the tickets are released and available again, according to the city. The tickets are $12.25 each.

Raleigh officials switched to Eventbrite a few years ago after the popularity of the event slowed the city's own registration system. But ticket buyers (and those who tried, but failed to get tickets) still expressed plenty of frustration about the process. On Go Ask Mom's Facebook page, some shared about their own experience.

"Ugh this is so stressful!" wrote one. "Got some but am sooo tired."

Wrote another: "I was ready, it didn’t matter. The tickets disappeared."

"Ready to go at 5:30 and even went right to the later train times. Showed 60 plus tickets available and gone before I could get them in my cart. Wonder how many people bought ornaments thinking they have tickets?," wrote another.

While the Holiday Express is a popular event, it's certainly not the only Christmas event in the Triangle. If you didn't get tickets for the Holiday Express, you have a lot of other options. And, luckily, tickets aren't sold out - or even on sale for some - yet.

Santa Train at the Museum of Life and Science

Tickets for this long-running event, now in its 42nd year, will go on sale this fall. It features a ride aboard the museum's Ellerbe Creek Railway, a visit with Santa, crafts and other activities.

Santa's Reindeer Roundup Express at New Hope Valley Railway

Tickets are on sale now for this fun event which runs Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 and Dec. 14 and Dec. 15. You'll take an hour-long open air ride through rural southwestern Wake County and meet Santa.

Festival of Lights at Hill Ridge Farm

Take a hayride to see hundreds of thousands of lights set to music, meet Santa and play on the farm's outdoor playground. This event runs daily for a month - from around Thanksgiving to after Christmas. No early mornings are required to get tickets for this one.

Evening with Elves and Gingerbread Jamboree at Marbles

The downtown Raleigh museum hosts two popular Christmas events each year. Tickets for an Evening with Elves are on sale now. Tickets for the Gingerbread Jamboree go on sale Aug. 19.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical at the Duke Energy Center

The favorite TV special is brought to life on stage for shows that run from Nov. 29 to Dec. 24. Tickets for the show are on sale now and start at $16.

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