HASTINGS, Minn. — A special train will soon be rolling into Minnesota, carrying with it a load of holiday spirit, music and a commitment to helping those in need.
The Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Railroad Holiday train will make stops in 20 communities across the state, treating guests to top flight musicians performing holiday classics and new songs of the season while collecting food and cash donations to feed the growing number of people struggling with food insecurity.
Here is the list of Minnesota stops.
- Dec. 10, 2:45 p.m. - La Crescent
- Dec. 10, 3:45 p.m. - Winona
- Dec. 10, 5:45 p.m. - Wabasha
- Dec. 10, 8:15 p.m. - Hastings
- Dec. 11, 5:15 p.m. - Cottage Grove
- Dec. 11, 7 p.m. - St. Paul
- Dec. 12, 5 p.m. - Golden Valley
- Dec. 12, 6:15 p.m. - St. Louis Park
- Dec. 12, 8:15 p.m. - Minneapolis
- Dec. 14, 4:30 p.m. - Loretto
- Dec. 14, 6 p.m. - Buffalo
- Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m. - Annandale
- Dec. 14, 9 p.m. - Kimball
- Dec. 15, 10:15 a.m. - Glenwood
- Dec. 15, 11:45 a.m. - Alexandria
- Dec. 15, 2:45 p.m. - Detroit Lakes
- Dec. 15, 4:20 p.m. - Mahnomen
- Dec. 15, 6:15 p.m. - Plummer
- Dec. 15, 7:45 p.m. - Thief River Falls
- Dec. 16, 4:30 p.m. - Elbow Lake
The train will stop and stay for approximately 30 minutes. Scheduled performers from Dec. 10 to Dec. 12 will be The Lone Bellow and Tiera Kennedy. From Dec. 14 to Dec. 16 holiday guests will hear music from Seaforth and Alana Springsteen. There is a special car on the train equipped with a concert-quality sound system and a large side door that drops down to reveal a stage.
“The Holiday Train unites people in the spirit of the season as it travels across Canada and the United States while generating critical support for our neighbors in need through the program’s support of local food banks,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “We are pleased to again send this magical train on a four-week trip across our network spreading holiday joy as we collect food and raise money to fight food insecurity. We look forward to again seeing all the smiles and cheers from people young and old coming together in the spirit of giving.”
While the event is free, those attending are encouraged to bring heart-healthy items or cash donations to stock local food shelves that have almost universally seen an uptick in clients. The need grows even greater during the holiday season.
Since 1999, the CPKC Holiday Train has been the engine to collect more than $24.3 million and over 5.3 million pounds of food for community food banks across Canada and the U.S.
