The Christmas season will officially begin for many local residents when the 2022 CP Holiday Train makes a whistlestop in Airdrie on Dec. 10 at 5:45 p.m. in its usual place in front of Nose Creek Regional Park.
The CP Holiday train is a country-wide initiative put on by CP that sees a brightly lit and festive locomotive travel from Montreal to Vancouver. Along the way, the train stops in various cities and towns, where residents can come watch a free live concert.
This year’s featured performers will be St. John’s musician Alan Doyle, formerly of Great Big Sea. He will be joined by Tenille Townes, Mackenzie Porter, and Aysanabee.
As always as it makes its way across Canada, alongside the holiday cheer and good times, the CP Holiday Train will be helping support the Airdrie Food Bank.
“Our community loves this event,” confirms Lori McRitchie, executive director of the food bank, whose volunteers will be collecting donations of cash and food during the CP Holiday Train’s stop in Airdrie. “[People] come out by the thousands and listen to the train, see their neighbours, and it’s that kick-off to holiday festivities.”
Due to previous cancellations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year marks the first time since 2019 the CP Holiday Train has made its cross-country voyage.
McRitchie says the Holiday Train makes a big difference every year for the food bank, and she is grateful for the support the event brings from the whole community. The demand for the food bank’s services is always highest at Christmas time, she confirms, and it will be particularly great this year as local families struggle to meet their basic food needs amidst high inflation and an ongoing affordability crisis.
“At Christmas time as a community, we gather and stand together to support our neighbours who might not be as fortunate as we are,” she states. “I believe our community truly cares about each other, and whether it’s the Holiday Train or another event that is happening at a local business, or families that get together to collect food for others, every bit of it shows the heart and the spirit that lasts all year round.”
And, according to McRitchie, there’s nothing wrong with having a good time at the Holiday Train while lending that helping hand.
“Dance along and sing along,” she says. “Sing some carols. It’s going to be a great evening.”
