CALEDONIA — Hundreds of people gathered along the railroad tracks at Five and a Half Mile Road in Caledonia Tuesday night, braving cold and rainy weather to welcome the CPKC Holiday Train.
Watch: CPKC Holiday Train brings festive spirit to Caledonia community
The festive locomotive, which aims to raise support for local food banks, has become a beloved tradition that kicks off the holiday season for many community members.
"Tonight is just the spirit of Christmas in the entire sense of the word," said Sue Gracyalny, owner of The Depot Restaurant & Tavern.
The event was made possible through the efforts of local businesses, including Parker Power Equipment and The Depot. The owners worked to bring the train to their community years ago after noticing residents gathering in the area to watch the train pass as it made its way from Sturtevant to the Milwaukee area.
"We never thought we'd get it to stop, closing our county highway here, but we did," said Ken Parker, owner of Parker Power Equipment.
Parker continues to be struck by the community turnout every year.
"It's pretty overwhelming, the amount of people we get here," Parker said.
While Tuesday's crowds were smaller due to the weather and the event falling on a weeknight, the Caledonia stop has attracted thousands of attendees in previous years.
Gracyalny said the night acts as a kick-off for the holiday season for many who attend.
The event features music, a visit from Santa and the Grinch, and serves as a fundraiser for the Racine County Food Bank.
The Caledonia stop typically collects thousands of pounds of donated food annually for the food bank. Racine County Food Bank Executive Director Stephanie Sklba expressed gratitude in an email and said the Caledonia spot goes "above and beyond" to welcome the train.
"The outpouring of generosity we see during the holidays—and all year long—allows us to support local pantries and ensure that individuals in the Racine community have access to the emergency food assistance they need," she said.
The Racine County Food Bank has received $65,000 from its partnership with the CPKC Holiday Train since 2003.
For event organizers like Gracyalny, the night represents something deeper than just holiday entertainment.
"That's what it's all about: helping people, taking care of people and being together," Gracyalny said. "We want to be there for our neighbors. We want to show that we care."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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