As winter draws near, the gleaming, festively lit Canadian Pacific–Kansas City (CPKC) Holiday Train makes its seasonal journey across the U.S. and Canada — and Muscatine, Iowa, is one of its honored stops. This annual tradition brings together the magic of the holidays, live music, and charitable giving — all on rails.
What is the Holiday Train?
The CPKC Holiday Train is a 14-car train decked out in thousands of LED lights and holiday decorations. At each scheduled stop, the train halts and transforms into a small concert stage, where professional musical acts perform free shows. But it’s more than entertainment: the event is tied to local food banks and encourages donations to help combat food insecurity in each community.
Since its inception, the Holiday Train has raised millions of dollars and collected tons of food for local relief efforts in communities along its route.
When & Where in Muscatine
For the 2025 tour, the Holiday Train is scheduled to stop in Muscatine, Iowa on November 25. It is slated to arrive at 7:45 p.m. and the performance will run from 7:45 to 8:15 p.m. in Riverside Park, located at Chestnut Street & Harbor Drive.
Attending is free; the community is encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations or money for the local food pantries.
The Music Lineup: Who’s Performing
The Holiday Train’s lineup rotates each year, pairing two artists (or groups) per stop.
For 2025, the performers scheduled for the Muscatine stop are Smash Mouth, best known for hits like “All Star” and “Walkin’ on the Sun,” a staple of late-’90s/early-2000s pop rock and JJ Wilde, a rising rock artist whose dynamic performances and vocals have gained attention in recent years.
What to Expect
When the Holiday Train rolls into Riverside Park, the decorated train cars glow in the evening, and the two headline artists take to a stage platform built onto the train cars themselves. The concert usually lasts around 30 minutes.
Beyond the music, the event has a philanthropic heart. Local food banks or Salvation Army branches often set up collection points.
Thousands typically gather downtown to watch the train approach, snap photos, enjoy the show, donate, and join in the spirit of the season. The stop is a brief but festive interlude in the train’s larger cross-country holiday tour.
Why Muscatine Matters
Stops such as Muscatine reflect the essence of the Holiday Train mission: bringing holiday joy and community support to both large and small towns along the railroad network. Each stop helps raise awareness and resources for local food security, ensuring that communities aren’t forgotten in the winter months.
For Muscatine residents and visitors, it’s a chance to celebrate, enjoy live music, participate in giving, and experience something magical as the rails light up for the season.
