Submitted Photo The CPKC Holiday Train will arrive in Minot on Saturday. Other area stops that day include Carrington, Harvey and Kenmare.

The brightly decorated CPKC Holiday Train will make stops in Minot and three other area cities on Saturday to raise money, food and awareness in the local communities.

“The Holiday Train will be stopping in Minot on December 16, arriving at 6:30 p.m. with the show starting at 6:45 p.m. The show will be at the Main Street North railway crossing and we are excited to be bringing Dallas Smith and Mackenzie Porter to the Minot show,” said Rebecca Stephen, a spokeswoman for CPKC.

The 2023 CPKC Holiday Train is touring Canada and the United States from Nov. 20 through Dec. 19. This is the 25th year of the Holiday Train supporting food banks and healthy eating across its network. CPKC makes a donation to a local food bank at each stop and encourages attendees to also donate.

CPKC’s monetary donation in Minot will go to the Minot Area Homeless Coalition. That donation will be divided among the food programs in Minot.

This year, donations of nonperishable items, including cleaning products, paper products, diapers and wipes, at the Minot stop will go to Our Lady of Grace Food Pantry in Minot. A donation station will be set up for those attending the Holiday Train event to drop off their donations.

The Minot show is scheduled to conclude at 7:15 p.m.

Stopping locations, arrival time and program time for area cities are as follows:

– Carrington, Rail Depot at 601 6th Ave. NE, arrives at 1:30 p.m., program from 1:45-2:15 p.m.

– Harvey, 600 Lincoln Avenue, arrives at 3:45 p.m., program from 4-4:30 p.m.

– Kenmare, First Avenue Southwest and Central Avenue, east side of railroad tracks, arrives at 8:30 p.m., program from 8:45-9:15 p.m.

The Holiday Train makes stops at two other North Dakota cities, Hankinson and Enderlin, on Friday, Dec. 15.

Smith and Porter will give a free concert from the train’s stage at Minot and other area stops.

According to CPKC information, Smith, born and raised in British Columbia, grew up surrounded by music. After getting his start with a Platinum-selling rock band, he became one of the most successful Canadian country artists in history and has won numerous music awards. Currently, he’s working on his first fully U.S.-based project of alternative rock and country.

Nashville-based Porter was raised on a cattle and bison ranch near Medicine Hat, Alberta. She recently earned her first No. 1 recording in the U.S. for a collaboration of “Thinking ‘Bout You,” with Dustin Lynch. She also became the first female artist in 22 years to have three consecutive No. 1 singles on Canadian country radio. She has shared the stage with Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton and other artists.

Since its inception in 1999, the CPKC Holiday Train has raised more than $22.5 million and more than 5 million pounds of food for community food banks across North America, according to CPKC.