The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will be returning to Upstate New York this November, marking the beginning of the holiday season and the season of giving as it makes its way along the Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern Railways from Quebec to Alberta and Maine to North Dakota.
The train, which is brightly decorated with holiday lights, has traveled throughout the United States and Canada each November and December for 27 years spreading not only holiday magic and cheer along its route, but a message of giving as well. The mission is to collect food donations and raise funds and awareness to help those struggling with food insecurity during the holiday season, and the organization has raised more than $26 million and collected more than 5.4 million pounds of food for food banks in the communities it visits since it began running in 1999.
Those who visit one of the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train’s stops are treated to quite a show, literally: the train features a stage inside one of its boxcars where professional musicians play concerts at each stop. This year’s artist lineup includes 13 different acts performing at different stops along the route, including such familiar names as the Barenaked Ladies and Smash Mouth. The entertainment is free, with an encouraged donation of either heart-heathy food or cash. Local food banks will be in attendance to accept donations at each stop.
The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will make six stops throughout Upstate New York this year on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 25 and 26. Its first stop is the Capital Region village of Menands at the Ganser Smith Memorial Park at 5:15 on Monday November 25; it will then continue north to nearby Mechanicville, and will arrive at 300 Park Ave at 5:45 p.m. On Tuesday, November 26, it will continue north along the eastern edge of the Adirondacks and arrive at the Amtrak station in Fort Edward at 2:45 p.m., then continue on to the Amtrak station in Port Henry at 5:40 p.m. and the Amtrak station in Plattsburgh at 7:50 p.m. to arrive at its final stop in Upstate New York, on Pratt Street in Rouses Point, at 9:30 p.m. before crossing the Canadian border.
Each stop is about 30 minutes long, and on this leg of the journey, pop artist Tyler Shaw and country artist Brittany Kennell will be the musical performers at each one. The train’s full schedule and more details on the performers and the mission of the organization are available on the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train website.
PHOTO CREDITS
Canadian Pacific Holiday Train on tracks photo credit Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
Performance boxcar photo credit Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
Holiday Train side view photo credit Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
Aerial view holiday train photo credit Canadian Pacific Holiday Train