CPKC Holiday Train 2026: Every Louisiana Stop and Who’s Playing

One of the coolest Christmas traditions in North America is rolling through Louisiana for the first time this year. The CPKC Holiday Train, a train covered in holiday lights with a free live concert at every stop, is coming to six Louisiana towns in late November and early December, plus one just across the Texas line in Port Arthur.

What Is the CPKC Holiday Train?

The Holiday Train has been running since 1999, and it’s a pretty simple idea. A lit-up train pulls into town, a stage opens up on one of the cars, and there’s a short live concert. Admission is free, but you’re asked to bring a non-perishable food item or a cash donation, and everything collected stays in the local community to help families in need.

Since it started, the Holiday Train has raised more than $28.3 million and collected more than 5.6 million pounds of food for food banks in Canada and the U.S. This year’s tour runs from Nov. 19 through Dec. 20 with 182 stops, and it’s heading farther south than ever.

“This year, we are going farther south than we ever have before,” said CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel.

Who’s Performing at the Louisiana Stops?

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Chase Rice and Madeline Edwards will perform at every stop on the Louisiana run except Shreveport, including Port Arthur. Shreveport gets Magic! (yes, the “Rude” guys) and MARIS.

2026 CPKC Holiday Train Louisiana Schedule

Monroe, Ruston, DeQuincy, Leesville and Zwolle are all first-time stops. Times are approximate.

Shreveport

• When: Sunday, Nov. 29, 7:45 to 8:15 p.m.
• Where: 4550 North Lake Shore Drive
• Performers: Magic!, MARIS

Monroe

• When: Wednesday, Dec. 2, 5:45 to 6:15 p.m.
• Where: Parking lot on the south side of the tracks, between 3rd Street and North 4th Street
• Performers: Chase Rice, Madeline Edwards

Ruston

• When: Wednesday, Dec. 2, 7:30 to 8 p.m.
• Where: Parking lot along East Park Avenue by the tracks, between North Vienna and North Bonner streets
• Performers: Chase Rice, Madeline Edwards

Bonus stop just across the state line: Port Arthur, Texas

• When: Thursday, Dec. 3, 5:30 to 6 p.m.
• Where: 607 Houston Avenue, between 6th Street and W. Rev. Dr. Ransom Howard Street
• Performers: Chase Rice, Madeline Edwards

DeQuincy

• When: Friday, Dec. 4, 3:15 to 3:45 p.m.
• Where: 400 Lake Charles Avenue, north of the DeQuincy Museum in Railroad Park
• Performers: Chase Rice, Madeline Edwards

Leesville

• When: Friday, Dec. 4, 5:30 to 6 p.m.
• Where: 901 South Third Street, CPKC Station gravel lot
• Performers: Chase Rice, Madeline Edwards

Zwolle

• When: Friday, Dec. 4, 7:45 to 8:15 p.m.
• Where: North Main Street and Armstrong Street, gravel lot next to the tracks
• Performers: Chase Rice, Madeline Edwards

The Closest Stops

Lafayette

There’s no Lafayette stop this year, but there are some reasonable driving options. DeQuincy is the closest Louisiana stop. Just across the state line, Port Arthur is the next closest to the Acadiana area.

Shreveport

Shreveport is one of the few large cities in Louisiana to have a planned stop. And with I-20 connecting the first three Louisiana stops, you've got a maximum 90 minute drive to see all 3

Lake Charles

Lake Charles has two pretty convenient choices. Port Arthur is just a little over an hour away to the west in Texas. Or, for a quicker trip, SWLA residents can take the quick 30 minute drive to DeQuincy, Louisiana.

And DeQuincy is about as fitting a place as it gets for a Christmas train, which is less than a 2-hour drive from Lafayette. The stop is right by the DeQuincy Railroad Museum, in a town known for its railroad history.

Safety Tips Before You Go

CPKC asks everyone to follow these safety reminders:

• Stay at least 50 feet back from the tracks when watching, taking photos or shooting video
• Never stand on the tracks or the rocks beside them for a picture
• Keep your distance from the locomotive and rail cars

Also, watch out for fake social media accounts pretending to be CPKC. Stick to the railroad’s official pages and the #CPKCHolidayTrain hashtag. For the latest details, check the CPKC Holiday Train page.

Read More: Christmas Movies Filmed in Louisiana

If you’ve never seen the Holiday Train in person, this is a pretty special year to catch it. Grab some canned goods, bundle up the kids and go see a little Christmas magic roll into Louisiana. A free Chase Rice show from a train in DeQuincy? I’ll take it.