The Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s annual holiday train has kicked off across the U.S. and Canada and will be stopping in Lake County next month, its only stop in Illinois.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) said the 2025 Holiday Train, a festive celebration combining musical performances and holiday cheer, kicked off with its first show on November 19 in Montreal, Quebec.
The holiday train, which has been in operation for 27 years, raises money and collects food across Canada and the United States to support community food banks and make a difference for families in need.
“Every year, our railroaders take great pride in bringing the Holiday Train across our network, this year reaching even more communities for the first time,” CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel said.
“We are thrilled to send this beautiful train filled with lights and music to spread the joy of the season and proud to support the giving spirit of the holidays assisting people experiencing food insecurity. It’s incredible to see communities come together every year to celebrate the holidays while supporting local food banks,” Creel said.
The holiday train will feature 196 live music shows in six provinces and 13 states.
13 communities will be visited by the holiday train for the first time, with new stops in Maine, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Ontario.
Performers include Barenaked Ladies, Smash Mouth, Tyler Shaw, Brittany Kennell, Jade Eagleson, JJ Wilde, American Authors, Pynk Beard, Teigen Gayse, Lanco, Tiera Kennedy and Dylan Marlowe.
The train will make its only Illinois stop on December 9 at 4460 Old Grand Avenue in Gurnee from 5:15 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. The American Authors and Pynk Beard will be performing.
More than $26 million and over 5.4 million pounds of food have been collected for community food banks since 1999.
“At East Side Neighborhood Services, our Food Programs are dedicated to providing consistent and dignified food access, especially for older adults and families in our community,” said Mary Ostapenko Anstett, President of East Side Neighborhood Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“The Holiday Train brings more than donations — it brings hope, awareness and critical support at a time when it’s needed most. With the help of our community partners such as CPKC, we remain committed to ensuring that access to food doesn’t become an added burden for our neighbors,” Anstett said.
The festive atmosphere created by the brightly decorated holiday train and engaging musical performances embodies the spirit of the holidays, the CPKC said.
Each event is free but CPKC encourages attendees to make a monetary or heart-healthy food donation to local food banks that will be accepting donations at each stop.
This year’s holiday train in the United States will feature a new light display honoring the legacy of ‘Rudy’ and the recently retired Kansas City Southern Holiday Express train that operated across the U.S. South for nearly a quarter century.