INNISFAIL – The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train is set to roll through the region on Dec. 10 after being shelved since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CP announced earlier this month the holiday train will be coming to Innisfail on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 1:15 pm. It will then arrive in Olds the same day at 2:45 p.m. and stop in Didsbury at 4:05 p.m.
“It's great to see the CP Holiday Train scheduled again. It’s a good fundraiser and a good time for the food bank to collect food at a perfect time of the year, along with all the other events that will be going on through the holiday season,” said Innisfail mayor Jean Barclay. “It’s something for everybody to look forward to after an absence of three years.”
Although the CP Holiday Train has not operated since 2019, the company did have virtual concerts in the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.
Since the holiday train program was launched in 1999, it's raised more than $21 million and collected five million pounds of food for community food banks across North America.
During its last visit to Innisfail in 2019, the CP Holiday Train donated $3,500 to the Innisfail and District Food Bank.
The train will again raise money, food and awareness for local food banks in communities along the CP network.
CP is asking attendees to bring a cash or non-perishable food donation if they're able.
Local food shelves will set up collection stations at each event, with all donations passed on to local food banks to help people in need in each community.
“This is absolutely awesome. We will have trucks there that people can drop stuff off at. And we look forward to seeing all the entertainment and everything and the excitement from the kids that goes on,” said Heather Taylor, co-coordinator of the Innisfail food bank.
Taylor noted there is a rising need in the community, noting the demand for food hampers has increased 26 per cent over the same time as last year.
The CP Holiday Train program has two trains, one that travels exclusively in Canada and another with stops in both Canada and the U.S.
The Canadian Holiday Train departs Montreal on Nov. 27 and follows CP tracks west to Vancouver.
Performing free concerts in support of food banks from Montreal to Calgary are performers Tenille Townes, a Juno award-winning country artist from Grand Prairie and Toronto-based songwriter Aysanabee, while first-time holiday train artists McKenzie Porter and Virginia to Vegas finishing the tour out of Calgary on Dec. 11 and wrapping up in the greater Vancouver area on Dec. 18.
"The holiday train is all about families and communities coming together to celebrate the season and helping those in need,” said Keith Creel, CP's president and chief executive officer in a media release. “We are excited to be back out on the rails and in our communities; taking these two beautiful trains across our network and sharing the joy that comes with gathering in the spirit of giving."
