Renting a train car in Boone for dinner and drinks was local musician Lyndsay Nissen’s original plan, until she decided to scrap the idea and transform the train into a mobile art performance as a fundraiser for Reliable Street Inc.

During a two-hour train ride, called the High Liner, local artists and musicians will display their talents at the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. Guests will board the train at 5 p.m., and departure is at 5:20 p.m. on Friday.

Reliable Street Inc. is a non-profit that supports local artists and musicians. Nissen said they have done shows for art, music and dance, as well as hosting and open mic night on Tuesdays. The High Liner art show will be the first time Nissen, co-owner, organizes an event on a train.

“It’s kind of a test launch to see how it goes,” Nissen said. “It would be nice to have it be something we do, maybe once a year.”

Nissen will be performing original acoustic songs, mostly about trains to keep it on theme. Along with Nissen, featured artists are Siricasso, Max Ramirez, It’s Kai, The Stewardesses and Vella. Live performances will take place in one train car, while a DJ will be in the other car.

Siricasso, a local artist, has worked on events with Nissen in the past, and helped find performers. Siricasso said their goal is to highlight local artists and musicians and connect them with the community.

“[Siricasso] and I have been doing shows for pretty much three or four years,” Nissen said. “He knew a whole different set of artists and musicians so I’ve just gotten to know his people through the different events.”

Siricasso started his own clothing brand in 2019, with pieces being displayed at the High Liner. He will also be showcasing his paintings and prints. After working on art his entire life, he started taking it seriously after high school and earned a degree in graphic design.

“I’ve been doing [art] my whole life,” Siricasso said. “Now I’m just chilling as a full-time artist.”

Sharon Stewart, Lockwood Cafe co-owner, will be the host of the evening.

Train capacity is 88, and there is still room left for more tickets to be sold. Tickets, which are $45, can be purchased at Lockwood Cafe during business hours or through Venmo and PayPal @reliablestreet for will call. All tickets must be purchased before boarding, and no tickets will be sold at the railroad station.