Annual CPKC Holiday Train Kicks Off This Wednesday

Local Stops Including Merrickville, Smiths Falls & others on November 28th!

Eastern Ontario – The Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Holiday Train begins its annual journey across Canada and the US this Wednesday, November 19th.

The festive celebration combining musical performances and holiday cheer will kick off with its first show this Wednesday, November 19th, in Montreal, Que. Now in its 27th year, the Holiday Train raises money and collects food across CPKC’s extensive network in Canada and the United States, supporting community food banks and making a real difference for families in need.

“Every year, our railroaders take great pride in bringing the Holiday Train across our network, this year reaching even more communities for the first time,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “We are thrilled to send this beautiful train filled with lights and music to spread the joy of the season and are proud to support the giving spirit of the holidays, assisting people experiencing food insecurity. It’s incredible to see communities come together every year to celebrate the holidays while supporting local food banks.”

Holiday Train Highlights

196 live music shows in six provinces and 13 U.S. states. Thirteen communities will be visited by the Holiday Train for the first time, with new stops in Maine, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Ontario.

Performers include Barenaked Ladies, Smash Mouth, Tyler Shaw, Brittany Kennell, Jade Eagleson, JJ Wilde, American Authors, Pynk Beard, Teigen Gayse, Lanco, Tiera Kennedy and Dylan Marlowe.

Since 1999, more than $26 million and over 5.4 million pounds of food for community food banks have been collected in Canada and the U.S.

Locally, there will be stops in Finch, Merrickville, Smiths Falls and Perth featuring artists Jade Eagleson and Teigen Gayse.

Finch – 2:45 pm – 3:15 pm – November 28th:
James Street between William Street & George Street, Finch.

Merrickville – 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm – November 28th:
South side of Broadway Street railroad crossing near By Street, Merrickville. Artist – Jade Eagleson and Teigen Gayse.

Smiths Falls – 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm – November 28th:
At the VIA station, 63 Victoria Avenue, Smiths Falls.

Perth – 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm – November 28th:
Wilson Street Railway Crossing, Perth.

Ed Robertson with the Barenaked Ladies, performing on the Holiday Train with stops in Alberta and British Columbia, adds, “I can’t imagine a better way to visit some of Canada’s beautiful mountain towns than by riding the CPKC Holiday Train. It’s going to be a great time for a great cause!”

The festive atmosphere created by the brightly decorated Holiday Train and engaging musical performances embodies the spirit of the holidays. Each event is free, with CPKC encouraging attendees to make a monetary or heart-healthy food donation, as local food banks will be accepting donations at each stop.

This year’s Holiday Train in the United States will feature a new light display honouring the legacy of ‘Rudy’ and the recently retired Kansas City Southern Holiday Express train that operated across the U.S. South for nearly a quarter century.

A full schedule and details of this year’s Holiday Train are available at cpkcr.com/holidaytrain.