Sept. 24, 2012 — The 20th annual Rails to Trails Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6. The annual festival draws visitors from throughout the region, as well as offering our community an opportunity to celebrate Lassen County’s railroad history, and local rail trails including the Bizz Johnson and Modoc Line.

The festival, presented by Lassen Land and Trails Trust (Trust), is extra special this year. It’s a part of the Trust’s 25th Anniversary celebration and will include the traditional handcar races, chili cook-off, salsa competition, as well as music all day and vendors.

Entry forms for the chili cook-off and handcar teams are available online at llttweb.org as well as at the Trust’s office at the Historic Susanville Railroad Depot. Just call 257-3252, or stop by.

The annual festival also holds a raffle, which this year offers an opportunity to win a Weber Spirit E-210 gas grill, donated by Billington Ace Hardware, or a women’s Jamis Explorer 2.0 bicycle, donated by Bicycle Bananas. Tickets can be purchased at the Trust’s office, Bicycle Bananas, Billington Ace Hardware or the weekly Farmers Market.

The Bizz Johnson Marathon, a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon, will once again be hosted at the Historic Susanville Railroad Depot, and racers and their friends and families will join the Rails to Trails Festival. To learn more about the marathon, visit coastaltrails.com.