Holiday train arrives in northern Ont. this week

Holiday train arrives in the north this week CPKC’s Holiday train is making its way to northern Ontario and will arrive first in Parry Sound on Wednesday afternoon.

CPKC’s Holiday train is making its way to northern Ontario and will arrive first in Parry Sound on Wednesday afternoon.

After playing a 4:30 p.m. show, the train heads to Shawanaga for a 5:30 p.m. show, followed by Rutter (7:10 p.m.) and Greater Sudbury (9:15 p.m.)

The train arrives in Cartier at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, before heading to Chapleau for a 4:15 p.m. show and a 9 p.m. show in White River.

Friday will see the train further in northwest Ontario, arriving in Mobert (9:15 a.m.), Heron Bay (11:15 a.m.), Marathon (12:30 p.m.), Schreiber (3 p.m.), Nipigon (5:45 p.m.) and Thunder Bay (8:45 p.m.)

On Saturday, the train will leave Ontario after stops in Ignace (9:15 a.m.), Dryden (11:45 a.m.), Vermillion Bay (1:15 p.m.), Kenora (3:45 p.m.) and Ingolf (5:05 p.m.), before departing for Manitoba.

The 2023 CPKC Holiday Train began its tour of Canada and the United States on Nov. 20 and ends its journey Dec. 19.

This year's tour includes 191 live music shows in six provinces and 14 states. Performing on the Holiday Train will be Virginia to Vegas, Trudy, Anyway Gang, Tyler Shaw, Kiesza, Seaforth, Tenille Townes, Breland, MacKenzie Porter and Dallas Smith.

The event raises money, food and awareness for food banks. Professional musicians play free concerts from the brightly decorated train's stage. A list of performers can be found here.

CPKC makes a donation to the local food shelf at each stop and encourages attendees to also donate.

Since its inception in 1999, the CPKC Holiday Train has raised more than $22.5 million and more than five million pounds of food for community food banks across North America.