Hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights decorate the Canadian Pacific Railway’s Holiday Trains, which visit the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton and the Golden Horseshoe next week.
The 14-car trains include a boxcar stage with great musical talent and CP’s corporate contribution to local food banks. CP encourages each community, in turn, to donate food and funds — all of which stay in the community. CP presents a cheque at each stop to top off whatever the audience donates that day.
The trains support local food banks by raising the public’s awareness of the fight against hunger and collecting food that goes directly to your hungry neighbours. You can view the trains, if you bring a non-perishable food item as your admission fee, in Bowmanville and Oshawa Friday, November 30, Toronto, Hamilton and Vaughan Saturday, December 1 and Ayr, Cambridge and Midhurst (Barrie) Sunday, December 2.
CP invites local food banks along the trains’ 130 stops in six provinces and eight of the United States to participate by collecting food and cash donations. The Holiday Trains have helped raise $6.4 million and more than 1.8 million kilograms (2.6 million pounds) of food for community food banks across Canada since 1999 and across the United States since 2001. Generous North Americans visited the trains and donated as much as $750,000 in cash donations last year alone.
Here’s where you’ll find the trains. (This post indicates the show times. Trains arrive 10 to 15 minutes earlier than the show times, so visit early.)
Bowmanville
Friday, November 30, 6 p.m.
Scugog Street North rail crossing
Benefiting: several local foodbanks, including the Clarington East Food Bank, the Salvation Army’s Family Services and the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank.
Special guests: Doc Walker, Miss Emily, The Brothers Dubé and Santa Claus.
Oshawa
Friday, November 30, 7:30 p.m.
680 Laval Drive, Oshawa, behind Walmart off Stevenson Road South.
Benefiting: Feed the Need in Durham.
Special guests: Doc Walker, Miss Emily, The Brothers Dubé and Santa Claus.
Toronto
Saturday, November 30, 7 p.m.
87 Ethel Avenue
(one block south of St. Clair Avenue West between Keele Street and Runnymede Road, between George Bell Arena and RONA)Benefiting: The Daily Bread Food Bank.
Special guests: Doc Walker, Miss Emily, The Brothers Dubé and Santa Claus.
Hamilton
Saturday, December 1, 8 p.m. (U.S. train)
CP Kinnear Yard on Lawrence Road opposite Gage Park
Benefiting: Many Greater Hamilton food banks, including Hamilton FoodShare.
Special guests: Tracey Brown, The Claytones and Santa Claus.
Vaughan
Saturday, December 1, 8 p.m.
Nashville Road rail crossing near the grain elevator
Benefiting: The Vaughan Food Bank.
Special guests: Doc Walker, Miss Emily, The Brothers Dubé and Santa Claus.
Ayr
Sunday, December 2, 6 p.m. (U.S. train)
CP railway crossing at Inglis Street.
Benefiting: Neighbours Helping Neighbours.
Special guests: Tracey Brown, The Claytones and Santa Claus.
Cambridge
Sunday, December 2, 4:45 p.m. (U.S. train)
former Galt Station, 10 Malcolm Street.
(near Galt Collegiate Institute)Benefiting: The Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank.
Special guests: Tracey Brown, The Claytones and Santa Claus.
Midhurst (Barrie)
Sunday, December 2, noon.
12 Anne Street North
Benefiting: the Barrie Food Bank and the Elmvale Food Bank.
Special guests: Doc Walker, Miss Emily, The Brothers Dubé and Santa Claus.
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