The holiday season is getting a festive start across Minnesota as the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Holiday Train prepares to return with its spectacular display of lights, live music and community celebrations. The 2026 journey includes 25 scheduled stops across the state, beginning in Rochester on December 11 and wrapping up in Elbow Lake on December 18. Along the way, the illuminated train will visit small towns and major Twin Cities destinations, offering free outdoor concerts featuring Allen Stone, Shawnee Kish and Jamie Fine. The annual tradition also supports local food banks through food and monetary donations, making each stop an opportunity to enjoy holiday entertainment while giving back.
Southern Minnesota Gets the First Four Holiday Train Stops
Southern Minnesota will get the first glimpse of the illuminated CPKC Holiday Train when its 2026 Minnesota journey begins on December 11. The train will start in Rochester before making its way through Owatonna, Waseca and Janesville, bringing a traveling holiday concert to each community. This opening stretch is particularly exciting because the train is returning to parts of southern Minnesota that have not seen it since 2023. The locomotive is decorated with hundreds of thousands of LED lights, while one of its specially converted boxcars opens to reveal a stage for live musical performances. Allen Stone, known for his soul and R&B music, will perform at all four opening stops. Each appearance is expected to last approximately 30 minutes, giving families and other visitors an opportunity to enjoy the show without purchasing tickets. The train also supports local food banks, with CPKC making donations at each community and encouraging spectators to contribute money or nonperishable food items. The four opening stops are scheduled as follows:
- Rochester: December 11 at 1:15 p.m. | 1605 Civic Center Drive NW.
- Owatonna: December 11 at 3:45 p.m. | 1145 Park Drive, near the Owatonna Bus Company railway crossing.
- Waseca: December 11 at 5:30 p.m. | 308 South State Street and Highway 13.
- Janesville: December 11 at 7:15 p.m. | 236 Front Street, Veterans Memorial Park.
The schedule gives residents several opportunities to catch the train throughout the afternoon and evening. Those attending should arrive early, dress for Minnesota’s December temperatures and remember that the performances take place outdoors near active railway tracks.
The Train Continues Through Southeast Minnesota and the Twin Cities
The second stage of the Minnesota journey brings the Holiday Train through communities along the Mississippi River before reaching St. Paul. On December 12, the train will make five stops, beginning in La Crescent and continuing through Winona, Wabasha, Red Wing and Hastings. These communities offer some particularly scenic settings for the holiday celebration, especially along the Mississippi River corridor, where the illuminated train provides a striking contrast against the winter landscape. Allen Stone will continue performing throughout the day, giving audiences another opportunity to enjoy his soul and R&B music. The following evening, December 13, the train will move toward the Twin Cities, stopping first in Cottage Grove before reaching Union Depot in St. Paul. The St. Paul appearance is expected to attract considerable attention because Union Depot is already a popular destination for seasonal activities. Visitors can enjoy the outdoor performance while exploring the surrounding Lowertown area. The train’s stop at Union Depot is scheduled for 7 p.m., with Allen Stone providing the entertainment. Here is the complete schedule for these two days:
December 12
- La Crescent: 2:15 p.m. | 517 South Chestnut Street, railway crossing near the entrance to the city maintenance building.
- Winona: 3:45 p.m. | 65 East Mark Street.
- Wabasha: 5:45 p.m. | Bruegger Park, Gambie Avenue.
- Red Wing: 7:15 p.m. | Bay Point Park overflow parking lot, Levee Road and Bay Point Drive.
- Hastings: 8:45 p.m. | 500 East Second Street.
December 13
- Cottage Grove: 5:15 p.m. | 7064 West Point Douglas Road, south of Sebian Bridge.
- St. Paul: 7 p.m. | Union Depot, 214 East Fourth Street.
The performances are free, although visitors are encouraged to support local food banks through monetary or food donations. Those planning to attend the St. Paul event can also explore other holiday activities taking place around Union Depot. The combination of seasonal attractions and the traveling concert makes this one of the more anticipated portions of the Minnesota route.
Golden Valley, St. Louis Park and Minneapolis Join the December 14 Route
The Twin Cities receive another round of holiday entertainment on December 14, when the CPKC Holiday Train makes three additional metropolitan stops. Golden Valley will welcome the train first, followed by St. Louis Park and Minneapolis. These appearances are especially convenient for residents who cannot make the earlier stops in southeastern Minnesota or attend the St. Paul performance. The schedule allows the train to move through three different communities in one evening, with Allen Stone continuing as the featured performer. The Minneapolis stop is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. near 37th Avenue and Stinson Boulevard, making it the final Minnesota appearance featuring Stone during the 2026 tour. The train itself is approximately 1,000 feet long and decorated with an extensive display of holiday lighting. When it reaches a scheduled location, a specially designed stage car opens to create a performance area where musicians entertain the crowd. The experience is more like a free outdoor pop-up concert than a traditional train journey, since visitors watch from designated public viewing areas rather than boarding the train. The December 14 schedule includes:
- Golden Valley: December 14 at 5 p.m. | Golden Hills Drive.
- St. Louis Park: December 14 at 6:15 p.m. | Lake Street and Library Lane.
- Minneapolis: December 14 at 8:15 p.m. | 37th Avenue and Stinson Boulevard.
Each performance is expected to last approximately 30 minutes, so visitors should plan their arrival accordingly. The schedule also provides a useful opportunity for people in the western and northern parts of the metropolitan area to attend without traveling too far. Since the train operates on active railway lines, its arrival can occasionally be affected by weather and rail traffic. Checking the latest schedule before leaving home is a sensible precaution.
Central and Northwestern Minnesota Welcome the Final 11 Stops
The final stretch of the Minnesota route takes the Holiday Train through central and northwestern communities before it makes its last state appearance in Elbow Lake on December 18. The journey resumes on December 16 in Loretto, followed by Buffalo, Annandale and Kimball. These four communities will welcome a different musical lineup, with Shawnee Kish and Jamie Fine taking over from Allen Stone. Kish is known for her country and rock influences, while Fine brings an electric pop sound to the performances. On December 17, the train has a particularly busy schedule, beginning with a morning appearance in Glenwood before continuing to Alexandria, Detroit Lakes, Mahnomen, Plummer and Thief River Falls. The final Minnesota stop takes place the following afternoon in Elbow Lake, after which the train continues west into North Dakota. This part of the route is especially important for smaller communities that may not regularly receive large-scale seasonal entertainment events. The arrival of the illuminated train creates a shared gathering opportunity while helping raise money and food for local charitable organizations.
December 16
- Loretto: 4:30 p.m. | County Road 19 railway crossing, Hennepin County.
- Buffalo: 6 p.m. | Fifth Street Northeast.
- Annandale: 7:30 p.m. | Downtown Park, Harrison Street.
- Kimball: 9 p.m. | Willow Creek Park, 230 Main Street South.
December 17
- Glenwood: 10:15 a.m. | 20 15th Street Northeast.
- Alexandria: 11:45 a.m. | Eighth Avenue and Nokomis.
- Detroit Lakes: 2:45 p.m. | Holmes Street railway crossing, near Holmes Community Center, 826 Summit Avenue.
- Mahnomen: 4:20 p.m. | U.S. Highway 59 and East Washington Avenue.
- Plummer: 6:15 p.m. | Central Avenue railway crossing.
- Thief River Falls: 7:45 p.m. | 405 Third Street East.
December 18
- Elbow Lake: 4:30 p.m. | U.S. Highway 59 railway crossing.
With these final appearances, the train completes its 25-stop Minnesota schedule over eight days. Shawnee Kish and Jamie Fine will perform throughout this closing stretch, bringing a different musical style to the celebrations. The program has been running since 1999 and has raised more than $28.3 million and collected approximately 5.6 million pounds of food for food banks across the United States and Canada. CPKC also makes a donation to a local food bank at every stop, helping ensure that the celebrations provide practical support to the communities hosting the train. Visitors should remember that all performances are free, but the train itself is not open for passenger rides. It is a traveling concert and charitable event designed to bring holiday entertainment directly to communities along the railway network.
