After a notable two-year absence, Canadian Pacific Railway’s Holiday Train rolled into town on Monday, Dec. 12. Delighting local children and adults alike, the spectacle brought together a large bundled-up crowd for the festivities.

Music, food and hundreds of thousands of LED lights adorned the 14-car, 1,000-foot train. Bringing extra holiday cheer to Cottage Grove, the event marked the locomotive’s first visit since 2019, after nearly 20 years of consecutive holiday stops. For the benefit of the local Friends in Need Food Shelf, donations from attendees and a portion of food and merchandise sales went to support the charity. Approximately 25% of the annual revenue for Friends in Need is traditionally derived from the holiday event, highlighting the importance for Cottage Grove residents to see the train come back into town after a hiatus due to the pandemic.

Around 5:30 p.m., while the crowd sipped hot drinks and huddled together for warmth, an approaching air whistle in the distance alerted the crowd that the arrival of the train was imminent. People gathered closer for a good view of the tracks as the brightly-lit wonder approached. The whistle got louder as the lit cars came into view and slowly rolled past the gathered crowd. Once the train slowed to a stop, musical performances by Alan Doyle and Kelly Prescott rocked the crowd for 20-30 minutes before the holiday concert came to an end and the train had to move on to its next stop at St. Paul’s Union Depot.

Wagon rides to the site were provided by Zywiec’s, bringing folks to the site from the nearby Park n’ Ride lot on West Point Douglas Road. Food trucks served a wide variety of hot food, and free cocoa and coffee for all were provided by Cub Foods and Caribou Coffee. Light-up glow sticks were seen waving everywhere by children throughout the crowd, a donation from Old National Bank, Merchants Bank and Spartan Promotional Group. Santa Claus was also on hand to make a jovial appearance and take photos with families.

The event went off in fine fashion, providing a great opportunity for the community to come together and show their holiday spirit with one another.

Warming blasts of heat for the crowd emit from the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train in Cottage Grove. Photo by Dan Solovitz

View of the crowd as the Holiday Train approaches.Photo by Dan Solovitz

Kelly Preston performs from the train car stage on Monday, Dec. 12 in Cottage Grove. Photo by Dan Solovitz

Santa Claus was in attendance for photos with families at the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train, which made a stop in Cottage Grove Dec. 12. Photo by Dan Solovitz

Volunteers hand out glow sticks to kids in attendance on Monday.Photo by Dan Solovitz

St. Paul Park Newport Lions Club presents the Friends in Need Food Shelf with a $10,000 donation check. Photo by Dan Solovitz