The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is on tour now

Over the past 13 years, the Holiday train coming to town has been a unique tradition for families in both the United States and Canada.

The train is a Canadian Pacific freight train that is decorated in thousands of colourful lights. A variety of musicians use a boxcar that converts into a stage to entertain crowds around North America.

The Canadian train made its first stop in Beaconsfield, Quebec and will make its last stop on December 17th in Port Moody, British Columbia. The American train travels throughout the States at the same time, and together the two festive trains will roll through 140 different communities. (For more on the schedule and to see an interactive map go here.)

The train has been a major contributor to local food banks since its inception in 1999, collecting over 2.5 million pounds of food along with raising $5.6 million.

Ed Greenberg, a spokesman for Canadian Pacific, told The Weather Network “For many food banks along the way, this is their major fundraiser for the next 12 months, so each stop is important.”

Watch a video of the train in 2009 below:

Additional source: theweathernetwork.com

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Photo: theweathernetwork.com