Holiday train dazzles the kids in Westman

NEEPAWA — The CPKC Holiday Train wheeled through Westman on Friday afternoon, generating a show for hundreds of families and spurring food donations in the area.

The illuminated Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited train stopped in Neepawa around 2:15 p.m. and hosted a live show by Jade Eagleson, a Canadian singer-songwriter. Eagleson performed for a crowd of warmly-dressed Westman residents and put on country renditions of some popular Christmas songs, such as “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

The entertainment attracted a large crowd to the railyard, where a Tim Hortons van set up shop and a Salvation Army van collected food donations.

Rona Jane Sajonia, food bank co-ordinator for Neepawa, told the Sun that the crowd was generous on Friday.

“The children are very helpful and responsible,” she said, standing beside a van that had been loaded with donated food. “Good turnout so far.”

Kids who came out from school in the afternoon brought along with them some food donations that made the difference, she said. Roughly 350 people were at the railyard when the Sun visited.

Emma Seamone, a Carberry resident, was one of the parents who brought her child for the experience. Her toddler daughter was the reason for making the 30-minute drive out, and the afternoon made for some quality family time, she said.

“She really loves trains, and it’s an opportunity to see a train,” Seamon said. “It’s a nice holiday thing to do together as a family.”

Seamone visited with her husband and her mother-in-law.

Mayor Brian Hedley took the stage to welcome everybody during the show. The stage was a platform hoisted out from a rail car, and hosted a drum kit, guitarists and singers.

Hedley told the Sun that he is impressed with the support this year.

“Really good turnout,” Hedley said. “The kids just love it. You can see the excitement, the kids are jumping up and down singing. It’s just good for the kids.”

The space in front of the stage was filled with kids.

The CPKC Holiday Train had its first stop in Portage la Prairie, followed by Neepawa and Minnedosa, and was scheduled to carry on to Shoal Lake to end the night. Today, it is scheduled to tour through multiple stops in Saskatchewan en route to Saskatoon.

The event collects food and raises money for food insecurity. The train’s first scheduled stop this year was in Ignace, Ont., on Dec. 3. It is scheduled to travel west through Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia before making scattered stops in several provinces through to Dec. 21.

It’s the 27th year of the tradition.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com