Holiday Train making annual stop in Estevan
The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train program is returning to the rails for a 16th year to raise money, food and awareness for food banks and hunger issues across Canada and the United States.
The train is scheduled to stop in Estevan on Dec. 17 at about 3 p.m.
Since its launch in 1999, the Holiday Train program has raised close to $9.5 million and 3.3 million pounds of food for North American food banks.
"The Holiday Train is all about the community coming together over the holiday season and helping each other out with donations to local charities," said E. Hunter Harrison, CP CEO, in a press release issued last week. "CP continues to be grateful that our train of lights and top musical talent are welcomed with open arms and that this has become a holiday tradition in our communities."
Leaving the Montreal, Quebec, area on Nov. 26 and 27 respectively, the U.S. and Canadian trains will make the three-week journey reaching more than 150 communities.
The U.S. Holiday Train will travel across the U.S. Northeast and Midwest before its final show Dec. 17 in Weyburn. It is that train that will make its appearance in Estevan on earlier that afternoon and is expected to feature Kira Isabella performing for local audiences.
The Canadian train will travel west and wrap up its journey Dec. 18 in Port Coquitlam, B.C.
A number of musicians will be joining the Holiday Train journey this year, including the pop rock band Odds and Jim Cuddy (of Blue Rodeo fame) on the Canadian tour and, up-and-comer country star Isabella along with a cappella sensations Home Free in the U.S. Communities are encouraged to check the schedule online to see which performers will make a stop in their town.
Canadian Pacific's annual Holiday Train program is a rolling fundraising event that travels across Canada and the United States raising money, food, and awareness for food banks and hunger issues, hosting free holiday concerts along the way.
Each Holiday Train is about 1,000 feet in length with 14 rail cars decorated with hundreds of thousands of technology-leading LED lights and a modified boxcar that has been turned into a traveling stage for performers.
Since 1999, the Holiday Trains have covered approximately 100,000 miles, and entertained hundreds of thousands of supporters.
In 2012, more than 20,000 candy canes were handed out to the kids at Holiday Train events. In the 16 years of the Holiday Train program, it is estimated that more than a quarter of a million candy canes have been given out to children as treats.
