CP Holiday Train Blog

Communities benefit from Holiday Train events

The community support we've seen for the local food shelves is fantastic! At each stop, community members, local Legions and small businesses all pitch in with donations of money and food to help fill their food shelves. Food shelf representatives are appreciative for the generous support during the holiday season, but the message they stress to the Holiday Train crowds is that it's important to support the food shelves year round with more and more people turning to them for help.

Our evening stop in Minot, ND was well attended. Approximately 1500 children and adults turned out at this year's Holiday Train show. Taking in donations for the Minot Area Homeless Coalition were members of the Minot Air Force Base (AFB). The Company Grade Officer Council has a standing annual commitment with the Coalition and members of the Minot AFB volunteer their time to help support the community.

Lt. Belgers has been volunteering for the past three years. She remarked on how committed the community is coming out in the cold to help support the Minot Area Homeless Coalition. She also confirmed that food donations were up from last year, which is great knowing that what is raised in the community stays in the community.

Thank you for your help to feed the need.

Melanie S. and Annette T.

A heartwarming Christmas greeting

There have been so many great stories and comments regarding the Holiday Train this year. The CP Holiday Train Team and entertainers alike enjoy browsing Facebook, Twitter and our blog for the experiences that people have had at our shows this year.

Every so often there are those comments that really make your heart glow. While this one wasn't directly posted to one of our Holiday Train accounts, we discovered it through an email alert... and it is no less smile-worthy. We are proud that the CP Holiday Train could be commemorated forever in Goodnight's Christmas Card - thank you!

Danelle W.

Heading west through BC

After wonderful shows in the southern interior of BC, the train headed west to Revelstoke where the chilly temperatures and heaps of snow could not stop crowds of people from showing up and supporting their food banks! The local fire department was on location, proudly serving up hot dogs and hot chocolate to the hundreds of people in attendance. The show was well received by young and old, and the local food bank was thrilled to accept CP's donation to their community.

With inches of snow blanketing the mountains, the Holiday Train rolled forward to Sicamous. Throngs of people were patiently waiting for the trains arrival, and during the show the band was accompanied by groups of children dancing and singing in front of the stage. Santa was a huge hit, rocking on stage with the performers, and surprising the audience with candy canes.

As we continued west, the snow began to fall heavier and faster. Thousands showed up in Salmon Arm, all gathered around fire pits a lit with bonfires in the Askew parking lot. The temperature had warmed up, and the community was amped up to rock with the band. From on stage, the view was spectacular- the moon was glistening on the smiling faces of the audience, and the thick snow flakes were sparkling brightly enough for Shaun Verrault to share with the crowd that it felt like he was "performing in a snow globe"!

Our last show of the evening was scheduled for Notch Hill, a village that radiates support for the Holiday Train beyond the 30 minute show. Familiar faces greeted the train with loud cheers, and after another great show the incredible community of Notch Hill hosted the Holiday Train team to a delicious dinner in the Notch Hill Hall. The perfect close to another busy day aboard the Holiday Train.

Kristi P.

Hey Santa!

After another day of fantastic shows and extreme subzero temperatures in Minnesota, the US Train is now powering through the frosty countryside of North Dakota, bringing brightness and smiles to the communities.

 

Our “rapping” Santa warms up the crowd at the beginning of every show like nobody else. He then keeps busy mingling with the many children who come out at every stop. Their eyes wide-open express the smiles that are hidden behind their scarves.  

 

One thing we are hearing over and over is how much people are enjoying the Holiday Train music this year. One resident from Detroit Lakes told us that her kids were at the Shoreham event earlier in the week and sent her an iPhone clip of the “Hey Santa!” song. But it cut out half way through the song. She came out to the Detroit Lakes event looking to buy the CD with that particular song on it. We told her the song was written especially for the 2009 Holiday Train by Willy Porter. Although no CDs were produced for this trip, the lady enjoyed “Hey Santa!” live on stage that day.

 

After the show, we had a chat with Willy and asked if he could tell us more about the origin of the song and if he had any plan of recording it in a near future. Here is what he said:

 

“The song, “Hey Santa!” was inspired by my young son who asked the question: “Dad, why does Santa come down the chimney instead of coming through the door like everyone else?” I told him I’d ask Santa if I saw him on the Holiday Train this year. He told me to be respectful when I asked because he didn’t want Santa to skip our house… That gave me the impetus to hunker down and write the tune. It has been blast to play live with the Holiday Train Band! I look forward to recording it for a future Christmas disc in 2010. I am really glad people are enjoying it.”

 

Melanie S., Annette T and Willy Porter

 

A look back: Sparwood...

Here's a video from our first BC stop this year - Saturday, December 12, our marathon day of 8 shows total.

Breanne F. & Danelle W.

The coldest Reggae ever played

Our great Holiday Train band should enter the Guinness Book of Records for the coldest show ever played yesterday evening at Eden Valley, MN, with -25 degrees C (a lot colder with the wind chill.) It is still a mystery to us as to how the band was able to perform until the end of the show!

 

We're into the last stretch of the US Holiday Train. The first of four shows on December 14 was in Loretto. The train rolled in to a warm reception, literally! The fire department had built a roaring bonfire to help keep the crowd warm for the half hour show. The Holiday Train band was a crowd pleaser. Several residents came to us to mention how great the choice of festive songs was, with a mix of classics revisited and new songs written especially for the Holiday Train.

In Annandale, the third stop of the day, one part of the crowd truly understood how to keep warm: front and center, kids were happily dancing and jumping along, getting into the Holiday spirit, even though they could hardly move, all patted as they were in their snow suits, scarves, toques and mittens.

 

And just to give you an idea of how committed some people are, we met one lady who had wrapped a plastic bag around her cast so she could come to the show. She said she would not have missed it for anything in the world. Can it get better than that?

 

Melanie S. and Annette T.

The Kootenays beckon…

After an unrelenting day of 8 shows, Sunday’s set of 4 was like a breath of fresh mountain air. We started out in Creston, BC, where a large crowd came out at 10am to hear The Odds and Shaun Verreault.. A long break before the evening shows allowed for gazing at the amazing scenery – below, the Holiday Train travels over a trestle bridge around Duck Lake.

 

 

Castlegar is a picturesque town that made the perfect setting for the Holiday Train. There were thousands people who attended the show and donated to the food bank, blowing expectations out  of the water. Christmas trees were set up throughout the area, giving the stop a definite feeling of the upcoming holiday season. The entertainers agreed that the vibe from the crowd was almost corporeal.

 

Nelson was our last stop of the day – and a unique one. Due to the nature of the location and the stop, we opened the stage doors on both sides of the car. This is always an opportunity for the entertainers to stretch their wings and use their imaginations – based on the reaction from the crowd, the show could not have been better. Santa even came out again for the final number to jam with the band.

 

 

Crowds on both sides of the stage car could be seen in Nelson

Long day - but not short on spirit!

The Canadian Holiday Train fielded the longest single day in the history of the Holiday Train today -seven full shows and one "Stop n Go." While the day started early and ended late, The Odds and Shaun Verreault were at their best for each and every stop, a testament to what the spirit of giving can do.

Although the show was at 8:30 on a Saturday morning, Lethbridge residents turned out to support their local food bank. Lethbridge always knows how to have a good time and we love stopping in the city to entertain the people who come out to support their food bank. We also had the good fortune of being able to take pictures of the Holiday Train while on the newly lit-up high level bridge in Lethbridge very late Friday night (or early Saturday morning).

Our Jaffray stop was a shorter one off the end of the train, but the crowd was phenomenal. About 150 people filled out the space between the road and close to where we stopped - The Odds and Shaun were jamming for the crowd even as we pulled off to stay on schedule for our next stop. It's hard to leave such an active and eager crowd!

Thank you to all eight of our stops today for showing us what your communities are all about - the caring, the giving, the energy... without you, the Holiday Train would be nothing.

Danelle W.


Fernie's show was nestled between the trees, but that didn't stop people from donating and watching.

 

 

Southern-Alberta bound

The air in Calgary was brisk but that didn't stop hundreds from showing up to see the Holiday Train's magic on Friday night. The Odds and Shaun Verreault were at their best, with the crowd very much getting into the show and helping out with lyrics to popular Christmas songs when prompted. Naturally, Santa was a hit - many a child was seen with parents in tow to wait and tell Santa their Christmas wishes.

Heather, a volunteer from the Calgary Food Bank, was on hand to help hand out candy canes as well. Decked out to the nines in an elf costume, we wonder whether there's any relation to Randalf?? It was Heather's first time at the Holiday Train - she was blown away by the entire package: the band, the train, the crowd... it's hard not to get into the Holiday spirit! Thank you Heather, the food bank and everyone who attended for helping to feed the need in your community.

In Vulcan, the town set off fireworks after its own band played a set, before the Holiday Train even pulled in to the stop. The liveliness of the crowd was palpable, with a group of ladies rocking out so hard that two ended up on the snowy ground at one point. Vulcan's fire department was out for the event and the setting couldn't have been better. Thank you, Vulcan, for your boundless energy and amazing support for your food bank.

Danelle W.

 

The Holiday Train in Vulcan 

Ode to the Odds

There is a chill in the air and a long cool pause
boys and girls are gathered for a glimpse of Mr. Clause
singing and rapping and spreading good cheer
for those helping others throughout the whole year

The stage door opens and the smoke billows out
hundreds of people jump, root, cheer and shout
the crowds have been waiting all day long
for the Odds to come out and bust into song

Murray, Craig, Doug and Pat
These are boys that know where it's at
Rockin’ it out and kicking some licks
all for the food bank and the parents and kids

Then Randalf the elf pops on stage
He’s a hit with the kids, his dancing’s all the rage
Joyfully twitching with his two wooden legs
Despite the fact that he’s ripe in age

They play tons of their hits and holiday tunes
From the crack of dawn until the rise of the moon
Thanks to all that come out to support this cause
Canadian Pacific and the boys from the Odds

 

Tinsel Rose