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The Sparta Train Station hosts its 2026 Toys for Tots holiday event on Saturday, December 12, from 1 to 5 PM at 30 Station Road in Sparta, and the Operation Toy Train is scheduled to roll in with Santa at about 3:55 PM. Admission is a new, unwrapped toy for Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots, and the afternoon includes photos with Santa, a petting zoo, Touch A Truck and more.
Our team pulled every detail below from the Sparta Train Station’s 2026 Toys for Tots page. It is one of the easiest ways for kids to see Santa and give back on the same afternoon.
Sparta Train Station Toys for Tots 2026 at a Glance
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 1 to 5 PM
- Train arrival: about 3:55 PM
- Where: Sparta Train Station, 30 Station Road, Sparta, NJ 07871
- Admission: one new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots
- Food: the Brick and Brew pizza truck, with food for purchase
What to Expect at the Station
The event runs all afternoon, so you do not have to time your visit to the minute. The station lists photos with Santa, a petting zoo, Touch A Truck, an indoor obstacle course, games, a model train display, crafts and vendors. The Brick and Brew pizza truck will be parked at the station for anyone who gets hungry.
The big moment is the arrival of the Toys for Tots Operation Toy Train at approximately 3:55 PM. Santa rides aboard the train to help the crew pick up the toys collected at the station, which then go to children in need across the region. If you want a good view of the train, plan to be in place a few minutes early.
Bring the Right Toy
A new, unwrapped toy is required for admission. Leave the gift wrap at home. The toys collected here support the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign based in Dover, which serves Sussex County.
The giving starts before the day, too. The station says several local companies are teaming up for a Build A Bike challenge, assembling bicycles that will be donated to both Toys for Tots and the Project Self-Sufficiency Season of Hope Toy Drive.
A Sparta Tradition by the Numbers
According to the Sparta Train Station, more than 2,000 toys were dropped off at the station in 2025, and more than 8,000 have been collected there since 2016. The station also cites Toys for Tots figures showing that in 2025 the Dover, New Jersey campaign distributed 193,246 toys to 192,684 children across Sussex, Warren, Morris, Essex and northern Bergen counties.
More Stops for the Toy Train
Sparta is the first of three Sussex County stops for the train that afternoon. If you miss it in Sparta, the Operation Toy Train schedule lists later stops in Franklin and Vernon. Our toy drives in Sussex County guide has every 2026 stop time plus other places to donate, and our where to see Santa in Sussex County roundup covers more Santa visits this season.
Featured photo: Sparta Train Station, Sparta.
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