Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Headed to Northwestern Ontario

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A huge crowd of enthusiastic people crowd the stage at the CP Holiday Train.
A huge crowd of enthusiastic people crowd the stage at the CP Holiday Train.
CP-Holiday-Train---Thunder-Bay-2012
The CP Holiday Train arriving in Thunder Bay in 2013.

THUNDER BAY – On December 2nd and 3rd, the bright lights and music of the Canadian Pacific Holiday train will roll through Northwestern Ontario.

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train program is ready to go for its 17th year, bringing with it food, cash donations and awareness to local food banks and food shelves across North America.

The two brightly lit trains – a U.S. train and a Canadian train – kick off their tours in the Montreal area on November 27 and 28 on their way to visit approximately 150 communities.

The Canadian Train travels west across Canada finishing its journey in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. The US Train visits communities in QuebecNew York, and Southern Ontario prior to travelling across the U.S. Northeast and Midwest, returning to Canada for its final shows in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Each Holiday Train event features performances by professional musicians that include holiday-themed songs. There’s no charge to attend a Holiday Train show, but patrons are asked to bring a cash or non-perishable food donation. All money and food raised in a community stays there to help those in need locally. Again this year, legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Jim Cuddy will be on the Canadian train, this time joining his son, Devin.

A huge crowd enjoying the music at the CP Holiday Train in Thunder Bay
A huge crowd enjoying the music at the CP Holiday Train in Thunder Bay

“The Holiday Train is an amazing expression of old-timey Canadian joy,” said Cuddy, who was given the Order of Canada by Governor General David Johnston earlier this month. “To be on board an old, refurbished train and traveling through the nooks and crannies of this country is an awe-inspiring experience. As we pull into towns and cities along the way, we also see all the people assembled to celebrate and who are filled with the Christmas spirit – it is an incredible experience for those of us on the train.”

In Thunder Bay, every year, large crowds gather at the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train stop at the Syndicate Avenue train station.


CP Holiday Train 2014 in Thunder Bay by netnewsledger

Also on the train is Montreal/Winnipeg band Chic Gamine who will play all the shows in Quebec, offering Francophone performances. Holiday Train veteran and award-winning country singer Kelly Prescott with Devin Cuddy and CP’s famed Holiday Train band will then take the stage for the rest of the Canadian Train’s tour before Jim Cuddy joins for the final leg.

The U.S. Train will showcase one of Canada’s brightest country music stars in Kira Isabella, who was recently named by CBC as one of Canada’s top 25 artists under 25. Isabella, who won the 2013 Canadian Country Music Association “Female Artist of the Year”, will rock the stage with chart topping jack-of-all-trades Wes Mack, until the Doc Walker country legends come aboard in Chicago.

“I look forward to another great experience on the CP Holiday Train and am excited to engage with fans in person and on social media as we go from place to place,” said Isabella. “The CP Holiday Train is such a unique and amazing experience, benefitting people in need at this most important time of the year.”

Each year, fans of the Holiday Train follow its journey over social media, posting spectacular images of the trains in various cities and landscapes. Those who take photos of the train, holiday entertainment and the spirit of giving are encouraged to enter the “Capture the Spirit” photo contest for the chance to win an exclusive ride on next year’s train. Details about the contest are available on the Holiday Train Facebook page.

The online schedule is now live at www.cpr.ca/holiday-train and lists which performers are stopping where and when.

To help make this year the best yet for local food banks, the Holiday Train asks fans new and old to follow the train on social media, invite their friends and family and spread the message about the importance of heart-healthy donations by using #HealthyDonations.

Facebook /HolidayTrain
Twitter @CPHolidayTrain
Instagram @CPHolidayTrain

Use #CPHolidayTrain and #HealthyDonations

​White River ​CP Train Station, 102 Winnipeg Street 2015-12-2 9:15 PM 9:30 PM – 10:00 PM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
Mobert Across from Band Office 2015-12-3 9:00 AM 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
Heron Bay ​Old CP Train Station, beside ESSO building 2015-12-3 11:00 AM 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
Marathon Stevens Avenue, Beside Curling Club Parking Lot 2015-12-3 12:20 PM 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
Schreiber Cenotaph beside Harvest Food Cupboard building 2015-12-3 2:45 PM 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
​Nipigon 60 Front Street, across from Nipigon Inn 2015-12-3 5:30 PM 5:45 PM – 6:15 PM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
Thunder Bay 440 Syndicate Avenue, CP Train Depot Track 2015-12-3 8:30 PM 8:45 PM – 9:15 PM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
Ignace CP Train Station 2015-12-4 9:00 AM 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
Dryden CP entrance, corner of Queen Street and Earl Avenue 2015-12-4 11:30 AM 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
Vermillion Bay ​Bay Street railway crossing, south of Hwy 17 2015-12-4 1:00 PM 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
Kenora Across from Wholesale Store, enter from 8th Avenue South 2015-12-4 3:20 PM 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM Devin Cuddy and Kelly Prescott
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