Image: Screenshot, CP Holiday Train website / The CP Holiday Train free event returns this Saturday, Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. to Centennial Park in Agassiz. Attendees are asked to bring a canned food item to donate, as the Agassiz-Harrison Community Services agency will be collecting non-perishable food items and cash donations.
CP Holiday Train

Free CP Holiday Train event returns to Agassiz this weekend after pandemic hiatus

Dec 13, 2022 | 12:26 PM

AGASSIZ — The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train will return to the Agassiz community this weekend following virtual concerts in the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, as it seeks to raise money, food and awareness for local food banks in what should be an entertaining Christmas-time event.

The Holiday Train event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. this Saturday, December 17 in Centennial Park in Agassiz. The festivities will feature food, drinks, and live music performances from Mackenzie Porter and Virginia to Vegas.

Image: Mackenzie Porter Facebook / Mackenzie Porter will be performing this Saturday, Dec. 17 at Centennial Park as part of the CP Holiday Train free event.

Not only will the train bring live music from recording artists like Porter and Virginia to Vegas, the train will again raise money, food and awareness for local food banks in communities along the CP network.

“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, Canadian Pacific President and CEO. “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.”

The 2022 tour launched on Nov. 23 In Maine and made its way through Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, before hitting Calgary on Dec. 11. Its final show will be in Port Coquitlam this Sunday, Dec. 18.

Holiday Train shows are free to attend. CP asks attendees to bring a cash or non-perishable food donation if they’re able; Agassiz-Harrison Community Services will be collecting non-perishable food items and cash donations. 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.

Since the Holiday Train program launched in 1999, it’s raised more than $21 million and collected 5 million pounds of food for community food banks across North America.