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CP Holiday Train draws huge crowd in return to Beaconsfield

Adorned in colourful Christmas lights, it has raised more than $21 million and gathered 5 million pounds of food for communities along CP’s routes.

In this 2014 file photo, the CP Holiday Train sits at the Beaconsfield train station.
In this 2014 file photo, the CP Holiday Train sits at the Beaconsfield train station. Photo by Peter McCabe /The Gazette

Thousands of Montrealers converged on the Beaconsfield train station Sunday night to see the arrival of the brightly lit CP Holiday Train.

After a two-year absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CP Holiday Train, adorned in colourful Christmas lights, pulled into the Beaconsfield train station around 8:20 p.m., after first making a stop in Montreal West.

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The rain held off while the crowd was entertained by a musical performance by Tenille Townes and Aysanabee.

The last time the CP Holiday Train rolled through Beaconsfield in 2019, it drew an estimated crowd of 4,000 and brought traffic in the area to a standstill.

The city once again erected spectator stands at the train station for the show. Some streets near the station also had to be blocked off because of the heavy traffic.

Although holiday train shows are free, Canadian Pacific encourages attendees to bring a cash or non-perishable food donation.

This year marks the CP Holiday Train’s 24th year of collecting food and raising funds for food banks across North America. Since 1999, the CP Holiday Train program has raised more than $21 million and gathered 5 million pounds of food for communities along CP’s routes in Canada and the United States.

Cugini’s, a local pizzeria, donated food in return for a donation to food bank Moisson Montreal.

The CP Holiday Train kicked off its Canadian 2022 tour this past week by rolling through the Eastern Townships. It made stops in Lac-Mégantic, Sherbrooke and Farnham.

Country singer and Beaconsfield native Brittany Kennell, along with Don Amero, provided the musical entertainment in the Eastern Townships.

Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle and local Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia were on hand for the event.

jmeagher@postmedia.com