CP Holiday Train returns to Hamilton after three year hiatus

The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train returns to Hamilton this season on its first continental tour in three years.

The train will arrive in Hamilton along Lawrence Rd. just south of Gage Park at 7:45 p.m. on Nov. 29.

The roughly 1000-foot train is rolling into the city with 14 brightly decorated rail cars and aims to raise money, food, and awareness for local food banks in communities along the CP network.

Once the train has safely come to a stop at the south side of Gage Park, a modified boxcar stage opens for a free concert.

Canadian country music stars Lindsay Ell and JoJo Mason will perform, playing a mix of traditional and modern holiday-themed songs to ignite the spirit of the season in the crowd.

This free, family friendly concert will even include a special appearance from Santa Claus himself.

CP Holiday Train, in partnership with Hamilton Food Share, asks the public to bring cash donations and healthy, non-perishable food donations such as tuna, beans, rice, pasta, cereal and baby food to the event.

There are over 257,000 visits each year to food banks in Hamilton, 40 per cent of which are by children.

“We are so excited to greet the amazing CP Holiday Train this year as it will bring together thousands of Hamiltonians celebrating the time-honored tradition of helping our neighbours while experiencing a massive injection of the Christmas spirit that is certain to accompany the train as it rolls into Hamilton’s Gage Park,” Executive Director of Hamilton Food Share, Joanne Santucci said.

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.

A group of over 50 volunteers will be onsite to collect donations going towards 23 emergency food programs in Hamilton.

While attendees wait for the train to arrive, they can join the Hamilton Bulldogs mascot Bruiser and the Hamilton Ti-Cats mascot Stripes and listen to music presented by 102.9 Bounce, and enjoy free coffee and hot chocolate by Tim Hortons.

To ensure public safety during the CP Holiday Train event, a section of Lawrence Rd. from Cumberland Ave. to Kensington Ave., will be closed from 4:30 p.m. to approximately 10:00 p.m.

During this road closure, only emergency service vehicles will be allowed access, all other vehicles will be detoured.