The festive season is rolling into Saskatchewan aboard a brightly lit train. The CPKC Holiday Train has begun its annual journey across the province, bringing live music, community spirit, and a crucial mission to support local food banks.
A Moving Celebration of Community and Charity
This cherished tradition, which started in 1999, is much more than a spectacle. Each stop is a community event featuring live performances from musicians aboard a specially decorated train adorned with thousands of LED lights. The primary goal is to raise awareness, food, and funds for local food banks and hunger-fighting organizations. Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items or cash donations, with all contributions staying within the community where they are collected.
The 2025 tour, as reported by Blair Farthing, is part of the train's larger North American route. Its arrival in Saskatchewan towns and cities creates a unique, family-friendly holiday experience that combines entertainment with tangible community support during a time of year when demand on food banks often increases.
Spreading Joy Across the Province
The train's schedule includes stops in multiple Saskatchewan communities. While the exact 2025 list of towns was detailed in the original report, the event typically visits key locations along the CPKC rail network. Past tours have included stops in cities like Moose Jaw, Regina, and Saskatoon, as well as numerous smaller towns, ensuring the holiday spirit reaches a wide audience.
Each event is free to attend, but the generosity of the crowd is what powers its success. The sight of the brilliantly lit train pulling into the station has become a heartwarming signal of the holidays for many residents, marking the unofficial start of the festive season for communities along the tracks.
More Than Just a Show: A Lifeline for Food Banks
The impact of the Holiday Train extends far beyond an evening's entertainment. Food banks across Saskatchewan rely on the surge in donations and funds generated by these events. The campaign has collected millions of pounds of food and raised significant funds across Canada and the United States since its inception.
For local organizers, the train's visit provides a powerful platform to highlight the ongoing issue of food insecurity, even during the season of giving. It mobilizes community spirit towards a common cause, reminding everyone that the need for support exists year-round.
The CPKC Holiday Train's 2025 tour through Saskatchewan once again proves that the holiday spirit can travel on rails. It successfully blends celebration with compassion, creating magical memories while addressing critical community needs. Residents are encouraged to check the official CPKC Holiday Train schedule for exact times and locations to join in this moving tradition.
