INNISFAIL – The CP Holiday Train will be chug-chug-chugging into town, bringing with it a live performance and some seasonal cheer.
The train, decorated as always to evoke Christmas and winter seasonal cheer, will pull into Innisfail at 1:15 p.m. on Dec. 7 and halt at the 50th Street and 52nd Avenue crossing, better known as the Fas Gas crossing for a live performance.
At 1:25 p.m., the event will feature live performances from Canadian blues musician Colin James and Canadian singer-songwriter Emma-Lee. The holiday train stop continues until 1:55 p.m., after which the train will chug out of town on its way to the next destination.
“It's always well received,” said Innisfail mayor Jim Romane.
The event is free of charge, but donations to the local food bank are encouraged. The donations can be either a non-perishable food item or cash.
“It's a really big deal for the kids,” Romane said, noting many school classes get a small field trip to see the train come through.
Innisfail's been lucky to have the train come through a few times in recent years, he noted.
“I'm looking forward to it,” he said.
This year, the train will include the Spirit of Tomorrow car, which was also part of the Canada 150 train tour earlier this year. According to CP, the train is about 1,000 feet long and will feature hundreds of thousands of holiday lights.
Two trains will leave from Montreal on Nov. 25 and 26, one on the Canadian route and the other bound for the U.S.
The trains travel through 171 communities on the way to spreading holiday cheer across the continent.
Mayor Jim Romane
"It's always well received. It's a really big deal for the kids."
