The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train, North America's largest rolling fundraiser, is less than two weeks away from starting its annual journey across Canada, the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and no one could be more excited than the entertainers. From December 1^st through to December 19^th the Holiday Train entertainers will perform their  high-energy festive show in over 100 cities, towns and villages in both countries. 

On the Canadian Holiday Train the crowds will rock out with Wide Mouth Mason (comprised of Shaun Verreault,  Earl Pereira and Simon Tesfay) and be treated to the soulful sounds of country singer Lisa Brokop. It will be the first time all these musicians will be experiencing the magic of performing on a train covered with thousands of lights performing to more than half a dozen communities a day, raising money, food and awareness for local food hamper programs.

"I've seen a lot of Canada from the highway so I'm really excited to get a different perspective on our country on the train," says Shaun Verreault, lead vocalist and guitarist for Wide Mouth Mason. "But more than that, it's about the opportunity to perform and make such a positive impact on food banks from one end of the country to the other."

Bringing holiday cheer as well as the important message supporting food shelves in the United States will be Holiday Train veterans: country Hall of Famer Tracey Brown, rising star  Kelly Prescott, as well as
folk-rocker Willy Porter. Those three will be joined by Nashville bluegrass singer/songwriter and acoustic guitarist extraordinaire, Pat Flynn.

"I'm ecstatic about the top-notch show that is going to amaze those who come out to see us on the U.S train this year," says performer and Holiday Train producer Tracey Brown. "This will be my fifth year working on the Holiday Train and there is nothing like great music to warm-up a deserving crowd on a cool winter night."

Since 1999, the Holiday Train program has raised over $2.4 million CDN and close to 1.3 million pounds (about 584 tons) of food for North American food banks. All donations collected in a community remain in that community for local distribution.

Click here for the schedules, musicians' bios and photos, a route map and downloadable pictures of the train

Editor's Note: For one-on-one interviews with any of the artists please contact the listed media contacts.

Media Contacts:

U.S Holiday Train                                                                  Canadian Holiday Train

Ed Greenberg                                                            Breanne Feigel
(612) 851-5659                                                         (403) 319-3932

(403) 319-3686                                                         (403) 589-6949 (cel

(403) 540-8106 (cell)                                               

ed_greenberg@cpr.ca                                                             breanne_feigel@cpr.ca