CALGARY, Nov. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - The Canadian Pacific
Holiday Train program is ready to go for its 17th year,
bringing with it food, cash donations and awareness to local food
banks and food shelves across North
America.
The two brightly lit trains – a U.S. train and a Canadian train
– kick off their tours in the Montreal area on November 27 and 28 on their way to visit
approximately 150 communities. The Canadian Train travels west
across Canada finishing its
journey in Port Coquitlam, British
Columbia. The US Train visits communities in Quebec, New
York, and Southern Ontario
prior to travelling across the U.S. Northeast and Midwest,
returning to Canada for its final
shows in Saskatchewan and
Alberta.
Each Holiday Train event features performances by professional
musicians that include holiday-themed songs. There's no charge to
attend a Holiday Train show, but patrons are asked to bring a cash
or non-perishable food donation. All money and food raised in a
community stays there to help those in need locally. Again
this year, legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Jim Cuddy will be on the Canadian train, this
time joining his son, Devin.
"The Holiday Train is an amazing expression of old-timey
Canadian joy," said Cuddy, who was given the Order of Canada by Governor General David Johnston earlier this month. "To be on
board an old, refurbished train and traveling through the nooks and
crannies of this country is an awe-inspiring experience. As we pull
into towns and cities along the way, we also see all the people
assembled to celebrate and who are filled with the Christmas spirit
- it is an incredible experience for those of us on the train."
Also on the train is Montreal/Winnipeg band Chic Gamine who will play all
the shows in Quebec, offering
Francophone performances. Holiday Train veteran and award-winning
country singer Kelly Prescott with
Devin Cuddy and CP's famed Holiday
Train band will then take the stage for the rest of the Canadian
Train's tour before Jim Cuddy joins
for the final leg.
The U.S. Train will showcase one of Canada's brightest country music stars in
Kira Isabella, who was recently
named by CBC as one of Canada's top 25 artists under 25. Isabella,
who won the 2013 Canadian Country Music Association "Female Artist
of the Year", will rock the stage with chart topping
jack-of-all-trades Wes Mack, until
the Doc Walker country legends come aboard in Chicago.
"I look forward to another great experience on the CP Holiday
Train and am excited to engage with fans in person and on social
media as we go from place to place," said Isabella. "The CP Holiday
Train is such a unique and amazing experience, benefitting people
in need at this most important time of the year."
Each year, fans of the Holiday Train follow its journey over
social media, posting spectacular images of the trains in various
cities and landscapes. Those who take photos of the train, holiday
entertainment and the spirit of giving are encouraged to enter the
"Capture the Spirit" photo contest for the chance to win an
exclusive ride on next year's train. Details about the contest are
available on the Holiday Train Facebook page.
The online schedule is now live at www.cpr.ca/holiday-train and
lists which performers are stopping where and when.
To help make this year the best yet for local food banks, the
Holiday Train asks fans new and old to follow the train on social
media, invite their friends and family and spread the message about
the importance of heart-healthy donations by using
#HealthyDonations.
Facebook /HolidayTrain
Twitter @CPHolidayTrain
Instagram @CPHolidayTrain
Use #CPHolidayTrain and #HealthyDonations
For additional information, photos, a route map, and
downloadable pictures of the two trains, visit: www.cpr.ca.
About the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
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. Since 1999 the program
has raised over C$10.6 million and
3.6 million pounds of food. 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.
About CP Has Heart
At CP, we know that a railroad may
serve as the arteries of a nation, but at its heart is community.
That's why, through CP Has Heart, we've already committed more than
$6 million to help improve the heart
health of men, women and children across North America. And along the way, we're
showing heart whenever we can. Find out more on www.cpr.ca or
@CPhasHeart.
About Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific
(TSX:CP)(NYSE:CP) is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the
United States with direct links to eight major ports,
including Vancouver and
Montreal, providing North American
customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in
every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers,
offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics
solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail
advantages of Canadian Pacific.
SOURCE Canadian Pacific Holiday Train