THUNDER BAY – Canadian Pacific (CP) has released the schedule for the 15th year of the Holiday Train. The popular train, that attracted a huge crowd in Thunder Bay last year will be travelling through Northwestern Ontario from December 1-2nd.
The schedule, available on CP’s website at www.cpr.ca, outlines plans for the ‘train of lights’ to partner with communities in raising food and money for local food banks.
The 2013 CP Holiday Train program launches on November 25 in Kahnawake, Quebec, formally kicking off the three-week journey of two brightly decorated trains across Canada and the United States with its first U.S stop in Scranton, PA.
The Canadian train will wrap up its journey December 16 in Port Coquitlam, BC, while the U.S. train will journey across the U.S. Northeast and Midwest before its final show December 19 in Weyburn, SK.
The train arrives and pulls to a safe stop in front of the crowd. The stage door lowers and the band opens with its first song. After that, a brief ceremony takes place which involves local food bank officials and other dignitaries. Once complete, the band resumes its show. After about a half hour that usually includes a mix of traditional and modern holiday-themed songs, the band plays its farewell show, the boxcar door closes, and the train slips off into the night on its way to the next stop.
For 2013, Holiday Train supporters will enjoy the music of Jim Cuddy, Matt Dusk, Doc Walker, Melanie Doane,Tracey Brown, Willy Porter, The Claytones and other musical guests.
Since the Holiday Train program first launched in 1999, it has raised $7.4 million and 3 million pounds of food for local communities.
Musicians traveling aboard the trains will play more than 150 free concerts from their boxcar stage. CP asks that attendees bring a non-perishable food or cash donation, and all donations stay with the food shelf in the community where they’re donated. Items like infant formula, canned meats, and spaghetti sauce are in particular demand for the millions of North American’s who turn to food banks each month.
Each Holiday Train consists of 14 brightly decorated railcars, including a modified boxcar that has been turned into a traveling stage for performers. For the 15th year, CP’s elves have updated the thousands of LED lights that adorn the sides of both trains with new holiday designs.
Related articles
