The CP Holiday Train is a Canadian Christmas train tradition that makes stops in Agassiz, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam.
The train travels across Canada from late November until mid-December each year. It stops in communities and hosts free evenings of live music and family-friendly fun along the way. In 2022 the concerts are with singers MacKenzie Porter and Virginia to Vegas.
Holiday Train Concerts & Fundraising Events
The CP Holiday Train has been a Christmas tradition of the Canadian Pacific Railway for about 20 years. The train travels across both Canada and the United States and at each stop there is a concert and local food bank volunteers collect cash and food donations.
Since 1999 thousands of people have been entertained in communities across the country and over four and a half million pounds of food and close to $16 million in donations have been collected. At each stop people from the community donate food and cash. The CPR also makes a donation, usually of several thousand dollars, at each location.
Free Live Music from the CP Train
There is typically at least one fairly high-profile musician who gives a short concert on the train.
In 2019 the music was with Canadian country singers Terri Clark (from Alberta) and Dallas Smith (from Langley). In 2021 the show was highlighted by Steven Page and also The Strumbellas.
In 2022 there two different featured artists. This year, MacKenzie Porter and Virginia to Vegas perform at each stop in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
In 2022 the CP Holiday Train requests donations of cash or food. Cash donations are more helpful this year but both are greatly appreciated. Any non-perishable food items or amounts of cash are accepted. It’s a fun event supporting a great cause, so donate generously!
CP Holiday Train in 2022
In 2022 the CP Holiday Train makes five stops in the Lower Mainland. The same as in other recent years, the free concerts in 2022 take place over the course of two days in Agassiz, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam.
Train visits and concert details in 2022 are listed below.
Agassiz on December 17th, 2022
The first Lower Mainland stop of the CP Holiday Train in 2022 is outside the Agassiz Agra Centre on Pioneer Avenue. It arrives in the community at around 5:30 pm and the entertainment runs from 5:45 until 6:15 pm.
Food and cash donations collected at this first event benefit the Agassiz-Harrison Community Services Food Bank.
Maple Ridge on December 17th, 2022
The CP Holiday Train visits Maple Ridge by the Port Haney West Coast Express train stop across from Billy Miner Pub at 22355 River Road.
The event takes place in Maple Ridge on Saturday, December 17th (so shortly after the event in Agassiz). The train is scheduled to arrive at the Maple Ridge location at 7:50 pm. MacKenzie Porter and Virginia to Vegas perform from 8:00 until 8:30 pm.
Donations collected at the event in Maple Ridge benefit the local Friends in Need Food Bank.
Pitt Meadows on December 17th, 2022
The Pitt Meadows event takes place at the railway crossing at the West Coast Express Station at the corner of Harris Road and Advent Road. The location is near the Pitt Meadows Museum General Store at 12294 Harris Road.
In 2022 the train is expected to pull up at around 8:55 pm on Saturday, December 17th (so shortly after its stop in Maple Ridge on the same night). The free outdoor concert then happens from 9:05 until 9:35 pm.
Donations of cash and food at the Pitt Meadows event benefit the Friends in Need Food Bank.
Port Moody on December 18th, 2022
The CP Holiday Train visits Port Moody behind the Rec Centre at 300 loco Road on Sunday, December 18th in 2022. The train is scheduled to arrive at 4:45 and stay until around 5:30 pm.
In 2019, even though the CP Holiday Train was in town for less than an hour, the festivities in Port Moody ran for an extra couple of hours. From 5:00 until 7:00 pm, for example, there was an outdoor bonfire by the rec centre’s tennis courts as well as live music and food to be purchased (by donation). Indoors at the rec centre, there was also popcorn, participatory carol singing and craft activities.
On the same evening, at the Galleria & Inlet Theatre right close by at 100 Newport Drive, up until around 8 o’clock, there was hot chocolate (by donation), more craft activities, live entertainment and photo opportunities with Santa.
Click Port Moody Event for more information about the full evening of activities in 2019. Whether or not any of the extra activities return in 2022 is to be confirmed.
Donations received at the event in Port Moody benefit Share Family & Community Services.
Port Coquitlam on December 18th, 2022
Port Coquitlam also gets its CP Holiday Train visit on Sunday, December 18th (so shortly after the concert in Port Moody). The train is at the Port Coquitlam West Coast Express Station at 2125 Kingsway Avenue from 6:15 until 6:45 pm.
The same as all of the other events in the Lower Mainland, entertainment is provided by MacKenzie Porter and Virginia to Vegas.
Donations of food and cash collected in Port Coquitlam benefit Share Family & Community Services.
What to Expect at the CP Holiday Train Events
At each stop of the CP Holiday Train, you can expect to see a few thousand people and train cars with Christmas lights. The train pulls up, the stage door lowers, the band gets ready and then the music plays for about half an hour.
During the event, partway through the selection of Christmas-themed tunes, there is usually an official welcome and presentation by local dignitaries and folk from the local food bank.
Lasting for only around 45 minutes from start to finish, the events are pretty small and short, but they are fun, and the music is great.
The Holiday Train itself is approximately 1,000 feet long and consists of two GP20C 2200 series locomotives and over a dozen rail cars decorated with Christmas LED lights. You can’t go on the train, but it’s exciting to see.
Don’t forget to take non-perishable food items and/or cash to donate to your local food bank if you attend the event!
CP Holiday Train Christmas Video
Below is a video of the CP Holiday Train in 2018. The scene is of the train and its cars just after its concert with the Sam Roberts Band and just before it departed for its next stop in Port Coquitlam.
Other Information
For more details about the events see the CP Holiday Train website.
For ideas on other things to do check out the following:
