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Who: General public encouraged to donate cash and/or non-perishable food items for the local food shelf

What: 2009 Canadian Pacific Holiday Train with Christmas lights, musicians, singers

When: 5:30 p.m. in Springfield; 7:30 p.m. New Ulm; Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009

Where: City of New Ulm-owned property just south of Third North Street, along the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad, just east of German Park.

NEW ULM - If you're not in the Christmas spirit by Wednesday, Dec. 9, you should be after the eastbound 2009 Canadian Pacific Holiday Train visits Springfield at 5:30 p.m. and New Ulm at 7:30 p.m.

Whether the weather cooperates with some light, falling snow, the colorful, 12-car train will include thousands of Christmas lights, a boxcar that converts to an outdoor stage as well as Santa Claus and three musical acts.

Musicians include acoustic guitar-playing singer Willy Portner, whose off-beat piece "How to rob a bank" includes a harmonica and sounds a little like Bob Dylan at times.

Almonte, Ontario native Adam Puddington will sing about trains and growing up in a small town while playing his acoustic guitar.

The general public is encouraged to attend the event and donate cash and/or non-perishable food donations that will be matched by the railroad and given to the local food shelf.

New Ulm Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sharon Weinkauf said her board of directors is considering what other attractions to add to the train visit.

"Any new events coming to town like this are always exciting," Weinkauf said. "It's great to contribute to the local food shelf too, considering the economy. It's also great for the railroad to be part of the community like this."

More than 40 American cities, towns and villages from Scranton, PA to Carpio, N.D. will experience the Holiday Train this year.

Last year, the Holiday Train helped raise more than $500,000 and 250,000 pounds of food.

New Ulm Area Emergency Food Shelf Board President Don Brand said the food shelf had an all-time, single-day record of 30 families two Mondays ago. There were 10-first time families at the food shelf in August and September.

"Those two months saw our two highest user marks in our 25-year history," Brand said.

Located at 1305 S. Valley, the food shelf is short of canned fruit, pork and beans, tomato soup, saltine crackers, chicken noodle soup, boxed pudding, Tuna and Hamburger Helper, toilet tissue and oatmeal, Brand added.

(Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).