A holiday tradition returns to the area after two years of being a virtual event. The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train will return to the rails this season on its first cross-continent tour in …
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A holiday tradition returns to the area after two years of being a virtual event.
The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train will return to the rails this season on its first cross-continent tour in three years, following virtual concerts in the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. The train will again raise money, food and awareness for local food banks in communities along the CP network.
The CP Holiday Train has visits scheduled in Hastings on Sunday, Dec. 11. It will arrive at the CP Dept, 500 E. Second St., at 8 p.m. A concert featuring Alan Doyle and Kelly Prescott is scheduled from 8:15-8:45 p.m.
On Monday, Dec. 12, the CP Holiday Train will stop in Cottage Grove on West Point Douglas Road, south of Seiben Bridge, in front of the Youth Service Bureau at 5 p.m., with Doyle and Prescott performing from 5:15-5:45 p.m. From there, it travels to Union Depot in St. Paul.
“I’m grateful to the CP team members who adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver two exceptional virtual Holiday Train shows and to all those who continued to donate while we kept community members safe,” said Keith Creel, CP’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The Holiday Train is all about families and communities coming together to celebrate the season and help those in need. We are excited to be back out on the rails and in our communities, taking these two beautiful trains across our network and sharing the joy that comes with gathering in the spirit of giving.”
Live music is essential to the CP Holiday Train experience. Doyle is a singer, songwriter, and actor who rose to fame as the enigmatic frontman for acclaimed Newfoundland folk-rock band Great Big Sea. During their commercial peak from the late ‘90s to the mid-2000s, the band’s energetic fusion of traditional Celtic fare and sea shanties earned them international. Doyle launched a solo career in 2012 and released a trio of well-received albums. In addition to his musical work, he has appeared in numerous films and television shows. Prescott comes is a third-generation singer/songwriter. Growing up between a tour bus and a world-class recording studio, her childhood was steeped in traditional country music. She and her family made their Grand Ole Opry debut as guests of Terri Clark in 2018. She has toured all over North America with such acts as Kyle Cook (Matchbox 20), Terri Clark, Dallas Smith, Jim Cuddy, Colin James, Dean Brody and her former band, The Claytones.
Holiday Train shows are free to attend. CP asks attendees to bring a cash or non-perishable food donation if they’re able. Local food shelves will set up collection stations at each event, with all donations made staying with the local food bank to help people in need in the community. Because local food shelves buy food at a discount, cash donations can go further than food donations to help those in need.