CP Holiday Train

One of the stops on the annual Christmas CPKC Holiday Train series is in Maple Ridge where people can enjoy music while also helping local food banks.

The train visited the Lower Mainland on December 19th and 20th last year. It was in Agassiz, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows on the Friday. The next day it had stops with live music in Port Moody and Port Coquitlam. At each place the event is free to attend (although donations the local food bank are greatly appreciated). Exact dates and details for this year’s Christmas train in Maple Ridge are to be confirmed.

(Note: The train used to be called the CP Holiday Train and in years past it only visited Canadian cities over the Christmas holiday season. In 2021 Canadian Pacific Railway bought the Kansas City Southern Railway. Because of the new Canadian Pacific Kansas City name, and the fact that the holiday train visits a number of American cities, the train is now the CPKC Holiday Train.)

The Maple Ridge CP Holiday Train Event

The CPKC Holiday Train is a Christmas tradition that features free concerts at stops across Canada and the United States. Last year there were 116 stops in Canada and another 80 or so in the US (which was over three times as many as there had been some years in the past). About 24 of the stops last year were in British Columbia, including the one in Maple Ridge which was one of the final stops of the 2025 holiday season. The number of stops in 2026 will likely be the same but with exact details to be confirmed.

The event in Maple Ridge is a charitable one benefitting the Friends in Need Food Bank each year. This non-profit organization collects both food and monetary donations to give to those in need. Since 1999 the holiday train has raised over $24 million and more than 5 million pounds of food across North America.

Last year the Maple Ridge CP Holiday Train event was on Friday, December 19th. The concert happened at Port Haney Station, located at 22302 River Road. Performers were Magic! and Sofia Camara. The featured JUNO Award-winning band was The Bare Naked Ladies.

WINTER IN THE CITY

A number of fun, free Christmas-y events also happen in nearby Port Coquitlam. Winter in the City in 2026 includes the Christmas in the Square (on November 29th), the Parade of Lights (on December 5th) and CPKC Holiday Train (aroud mid-December). Check out these events too if you can.

What to Expect

The train usually arrives in Maple Ridge at around 8:00 pm, or a few minutes before. The event itself, however, typically runs from 7:00 pm until 8:30. In the hour beforehand there are craft activities as well as music and hot chocolate.

The train itself is about 1,000 feet long and covered in decorative lights. The displays are bright and festive and sometimes change between a couple of different designs as they roll past.

After the train pulls into the station, one of its cars opens up and reveals a stage with the event’s musical guests. The concert runs for 30 minutes. You can expect a mix of the artists’ original songs as well as some traditional holiday classics.

The event doesn’t last for very long, but it’s free and a fun way to get into the Christmas spirit. It’s also an opportunity to give to a great local cause (which is also in the Christmas spirit).

Other CPKC Holiday Train Stops

The CPKC Holiday Train hits plenty of destinations on its journey. In fact, the same as two years ago, the 2025 Maple Ridge event was one of four stops on the same day. The first concert on December 19th was in Lytton at 11:30 am. After that there were ones in Agassiz at 5:45 pm, Maple Ridge at 8:00 pm and Pitt Meadows at 9:05 pm.

December 20th was the final day of the CPKC Holiday Train during the 2025 season in BC (and second-to-last in Canada as a different train finished in Saskatchewan on the 21st). On December 20th there was the Port Moody Event with its concert at 5:15 pm. The final show was in Port Coquitlam that same evening, starting at 6:45 pm (although other festivities that happened in that community began at 4:00 pm).

All of the events listed above are free and all of them collect money and food for charitable organizations. See our article about the CP Holiday Train in the Lower Mainland to learn more about the stops outside of Maple Ridge.