PARRY SOUND,ON- Canadian Pacific’s Holiday Train is stopping through our region again this year.
The company has announced their 2019 performer lineup and schedule for the annual Holiday Train program. The festive train has run for the last 21 years, with the goal of raising money and food donations in the communities along the rail network.
“The CP Holiday Train is a program that our 13,000-strong CP family has immense pride in bringing to communities every year,” said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO, in a company press release.
“Access to nutritious food is a basic necessity, and food bank usage is on the rise across North America. The CP Holiday Train program is our way to help in the fight against hunger by growing awareness of this issue and providing a fun and engaging way for the public to show their support.”
Two trains start their run across Canada and the United States on November 25th and 26th, carrying performers along each route. This year, Acadian folk-music group Vishtèn will perform at all stops in Quebec, the starting point for both trains.
Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Band will travel along CP’s mainline to perform in communities in New York and southern Ontario.
Meghan Patrick, Tanika Charles and Kelly Prescott will pick up the tour in Chicago and finish the train’s journey back to Canada with the final show in Gleichen, Alta. on Dec. 18.
The second train, which travels across Canada, will follow CP’s tracks west to Vancouver. Performing free concerts from Montreal to Calgary are Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo. CP Holiday Train favourite Terri Clark will join the train in Calgary with another talented musician to be announced later, wrapping up in the Vancouver area on Dec. 17.
“The CP Holiday Train brings CP’s caring employees and caring neighbours together to ensure that local food banks can help the Canadians that make 1.1 million visits to food banks in a month and provide them with the ability to break bread over the holidays” said Chris Hatch, Chief Executive Officer, Food Banks Canada, in the press release.
“Food banks and communities across Canada look forward to the train as it brings together neighbours to kick off the holidays and give back at the same time. We are so grateful for CP’s continued support to help us build a Canada where no one goes hungry.”
The train will be in our area on the following dates and times:
| Mactier | ​Old CP Station | 2019-11-29 | 2:50 PM | 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Parry Sound | Festival Station Gallery, 1 Avenue Road | 2019-11-29 | 4:15 PM | 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Shawanaga | Over from band office beside railroad crossing at Village Road | 2019-11-29 | 5:30 PM | 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
The full schedule is as follows:
| Station | Address | Date | Arrival | Event Time | Performers |
| Finch | Tracks adjacent to James Street between Williams Street & George Street | 2019-11-27 | 2:30 PM | 2:45 PM – 3:15 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Merrickville | 103 East Broadway & Count​y Road #2. ​South side of crossing near Bay Street | 2019-11-27 | 4:45 PM | 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Smiths Falls | Smiths Falls Train Station, 63 Victoria St. | 2019-11-27 | 6:20 PM | 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Perth | CP rail yard at the end of Herriott Street | 2019-11-27 | 7:40 PM | 8:00 PM – 8:30 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Belleville | ​West of storage facility, ​on Keegan Way adjacent to CP tracks | 2019-11-28 | 9:15 AM | 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Trenton | ​R.C.A.F. Road & County Road 21, South side of railway crossing | 2019-11-28 | 10:35 AM | 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Brighton | ​Prince Edward Street, East of railway crossing | 2019-11-28 | 11:30 AM | 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Bowmanville | ​Scugog Road crossing | 2019-11-28 | 1:45 PM | 2:15 PM – 2:45 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Oshawa | 680 Laval Drive – Behind Walmart, off Stevenson Road South​ | 2019-11-28 | 3:05 PM | 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Milton | Glen Eden Ski & Snowboard Centre, West Parking Lot – 5234 Kelso Road | 2019-11-28 | 4:45 PM | 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Alan Doyle and Beautiful Band |
| Hamilton | South side of Gage Park **U.S. Train** | 2019-11-28 | 7:45 PM | 8:00 PM – 8:40 PM | Alan Doyle and Beautiful Band |
| Toronto | ​750 Runnymede Road, in front of CP Lambton Yard office | 2019-11-28 | 8:15 PM | 8:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Vaughan | N.W. corner of the CP crossing at Nashville Rd, near the old grain elevator | 2019-11-29 | 10:00 AM | 10:15 AM – 10:45 AM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| ​Midhurst/Springwater (Barrie) | Anne Street North and Wenden Court | 2019-11-29 | 12:15 PM | 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Mactier | ​Old CP Station | 2019-11-29 | 2:50 PM | 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| ​Cambridge (Galt) | ​10 Malcolm Street, former Galt Station **U.S. Train** | 2019-11-29 | 4:00 PM | 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM | Alan Doyle and Beautiful Band |
| Parry Sound | Festival Station Gallery, 1 Avenue Road | 2019-11-29 | 4:15 PM | 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| ​Ayr | CP crossing at Inglis Street and Willison Street **U.S. Train** | 2019-11-29 | 5:20 PM | 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM | Alan Doyle and Beautiful Band |
| Shawanaga | Over from band office beside railroad crossing at Village Road | 2019-11-29 | 5:30 PM | 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| ​Woodstock | ​199 Winniett Street **U.S. Train** | 2019-11-29 | 6:40 PM | 6:50 PM – 7:10 PM | Alan Doyle and Beautiful Band |
| Rutter | Rutter Train Station | 2019-11-29 | 7:00 PM | 7:10 PM – 7:40 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| ​London | ​Richmond Street railway crossing between Oxford and Central **U.S. Train** | 2019-11-29 | 8:15 PM | 8:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Alan Doyle and Beautiful Band |
| Sudbury | VIA Train Station, Elgin Street | 2019-11-29 | 8:50 PM | 9:15 PM – 9:45 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Cartier | CP Train Station, 3 Spence Street | 2019-11-30 | 10:30 AM | 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Chatham | Holiday Inn/Convention Centre parking lot off Richmond Street **U.S. Train** | 2019-11-30 | 2:30 PM | 2:45 PM – 3:15 PM | Alan Doyle and Beautiful Band |
| Chapleau | ​CP Train Station, 50 Dufferin Street | 2019-11-30 | 4:00 PM | 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| ​Windsor | ​CP Yard at Erie Street West and Janette Street **U.S. Train** | 2019-11-30 | 5:20 PM | 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM | Alan Doyle and Beautiful Band |
| White River | ​CP Train Station, 102 Winnipeg Street | 2019-11-30 | 7:15 PM | 7:30 PM – 8:00 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Mobert | Across from Band Office | 2019-12-1 | 9:00 AM | 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Heron Bay | ​Old CP Train Station, beside ESSO building | 2019-12-1 | 11:00 AM | 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Marathon | Stevens Avenue, beside Curling Club Parking Lot | 2019-12-1 | 12:20 PM | 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Schreiber | Cenotaph beside Harvest Food Cupboard building | 2019-12-1 | 2:45 PM | 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Nipigon | 60 Front Street, across from the Town Hall | 2019-12-1 | 5:30 PM | 5:45 PM – 6:15 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Thunder Bay | 440 Syndicate Avenue, CP Train Depot Track | 2019-12-1 | 8:30 PM | 8:45 PM – 9:15 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Ignace | CP Train Station | 2019-12-2 | 9:00 AM | 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Dryden | CP entrance, corner of Queen Street and Earl Avenue | 2019-12-2 | 11:30 AM | 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Vermilion Bay | ​Bay Street railway crossing, south of Hwy 17 | 2019-12-2 | 1:00 PM | 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Kenora | Across from Wholesale Club, enter from 8th Avenue South | 2019-12-2 | 3:20 PM | 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |
| Ingolf | Railway crossing, across from Ingolf hotel | 2019-12-2 | 5:10 PM | 5:10 PM – 5:30 PM | Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo |