Beginning in 2003, our committee has organized, assisted, or participated in various fundraising and community events, such as:

• Country Music Jamboree
• Fiddle Fantasy Concert
• Canada's Train Day (CPR 2816 "Empress" Visit)
• Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Visit 2003
• Adam T. Elvis Concert
• Yard Sale & Barbeque
• "Let's Dance" Concert
• Canada's Train Day 2004
• Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Visit 2004
• Canada's Train Day 2005
• Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Visit 2005
• Adam T. Elvis Concert
• Canada's Train Day 2006
• Antiques & Collectibles Show 2006
• Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Visit 2006
• Antiques & Collectibles Show 2007
• Canada's Train Day 2007
• Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Visit 2007
• Antiques & Collectibles Show 2008
• Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Visit 2008
• Antiques & Collectibles Show 2009
• Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Visit 2009

Our first fundraising effort was a concert at the Portage Community Centre, consisting of Johnny Dietrich, Mark Morriseau, and Ray St.Germain.

We then presented a "Fiddle Fantasy" concert with various performers & accompaniment.

We were fortunate to host Canadian Pacific's only restored & operational steam locomotive for the afternoon & evening of Canada Day 2003.

We offered to assist the local Salvation Army Food Bank in collecting donations and giving out free coffee & hot chocolate during the CPR Holiday Train's stop in our community.

The next fundraising event was a concert with Adam Tarnowski performing his 3-hour tribute to Elvis Presley.

Time: 10:00am
Place: 1827 Gigot Avenue

There were a variety of items for sale, and we would like to thank everyone who came out to visit & support us.

Time: 6:50pm
Place: Centennial Arena, Portage la Prairie

We presented an evening of live music and dance groups, who performed dances from the 30's through to the 60's. The demonstrations included pattern dancers, cloggers, step dancers, ballroom dancers, and First Nations dancers. Winnipeg's Memory Lane Orchestra, and Winston Simpson provided music for the evening.

Canada's Train Day 2004 was another successful event, with the "Operation Lifesaver" (public safety with railways) display, demonstrations, musical entertainment, market items, painting prints, VIA Rail train trip raffle tickets, and barbeque food & refreshments for sale.

Again in 2004, we offered to assist the local Salvation Army Food Bank in collecting donations and giving out free hot chocolate during the CPR Holiday Train's stop in our community. The weather was good, the train arrived on time, and many turned out to enjoy songs performed by Tracey Brown, the Ennis Sisters, and The Moffatts.

The CP Station Committee of Portage la Prairie Heritage Inc. held the third annual Canada Train Days at the CPR Station in Portage la Prairie on May 20th and 21st, to coincide with the 2005 Golden Rails Convention in Winnipeg. Our event was well attended on Friday, but unfortunately, rainy weather forced us to cancel on Saturday.

We did have tours of the station; the Operation Lifesaver display; live outdoor stage musical entertainment; a "Vendor's Village" with various market items, painting prints, draw tickets, as well as our CP Store; M&M Meat Shops barbeque food & refreshments; hay wagon rides (courtesy of Ross Hunt); and Norm Winter's midway rides for kids.

If you were there on Friday, we hope you had a great time "Down by the Station"!

Once more, we were pleased to assist the local Salvation Army Food Bank in collecting donations and giving out free hot chocolate during the CPR Holiday Train's stop in our community. The train's arrival this year was at 7:15am, so although the turnout was smaller, it was still very enjoyable with performances by Wayne Rostad, Amanda Stott, and The Moffatts.

Since the first concert was so successful, and we had received requests to do it again, we were pleased to present another evening with Adam Tarnowski: The Ultimate Elvis Experience - a complete tribute to Elvis Presley from the 50's, 60's & 70's.

The CP Station Committee of Portage la Prairie Heritage Inc. held the fourth annual Canada Train Day at the CPR Station in Portage la Prairie on May 20th, from 10:00am to 4:00pm. There was live musical entertainment; Norm Winters provided some childrens midway rides; various displays were set up inside the station, including a Morse Telegraphy display and an operating model railroad display; and the Vendors Village was there, including our own CP Station Store. Both the food concession that ran during the Train Day activities, and the fish fry that ran from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, were very successful in raising funds to go towards the station's restoration efforts, and we would like to thank everyone for their support.

We are reviewing the comments and suggestions made by both visitors and participants, and may make some changes to Canada Train Day 2007.

Portage la Prairie Heritage Inc. was approached to organize and operate the Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale (previously the Depression Glass Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale) held at the Exhibition Building at Island Park in Portage la Prairie.

Again we were pleased to assist the local Salvation Army Food Bank in collecting donations and giving out free hot chocolate during the CPR Holiday Train's stop in our community. The train's arrival this year was at 12:00 noon, with performances by Lisa Brokop, and Wide Mouth Mason. It was a clear, bright, sunny day, which reduced the visibility of the train's decorative lights, but did not affect the enthusiasm of the many who came to see the train and musical entertainment.

For the second year, Portage la Prairie Heritage Inc. hosted the Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale (previously the Depression Glass Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale) held at the Exhibition Building at Island Park in Portage la Prairie. Over 60 display tables were full of many varieties of antiques, collectibles, and other items. After the show & sale, we held a Fish Fry, which was also well attended.

It was decided by Portage la Prairie Heritage Inc. to either discontinue or scale back the annual Canada Train Day due to increasing costs to host the event. However, plans were quickly put together to host a basic Train Day in the spirit of the first Train Day in 2003 - to welcome the CPR 2816 steam locomotive during a brief stop at the station in Portage la Prairie. Doug Bedford organized some live musical entertainment which was performed from the new platform of the station, while some displays and souvenir & collectible items were set up inside the station. There were hundreds of people in attendace, all enjoying the good weather as well as the sights & sounds and railway memories of days gone by.

We were pleased to assist the local Salvation Army Food Bank in collecting donations and giving out free hot chocolate during the CPR Holiday Train's stop in our community. The train arrived on time at 7:00am, with performances by Wide Mouth Mason and Melanie Doane. A small but spirited number of people braved the cold temperature and time of day to attend.

For the third year, Portage la Prairie Heritage Inc. hosted the Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale, held at the Exhibition Building at Island Park in Portage la Prairie. Approximately 80 display tables were full of many varieties of antiques, collectibles, and other items. Not only were there more tables of items on display, more people came to this year's sale as well.

We assisted the local Salvation Army Food Bank again this year in collecting donations for the CPR Holiday Train's 10th anniversary run. The 5:15pm Sunday date and time this year seemed to work out well, as it was deemed the best attendance and donation collection of all Holiday Train events in Portage la Prairie to date. (We even ran out of hot chocolate before the train arrived!) Everyone enjoyed the musical performances by Santa, Tracy Brown, and Johnny Reid. We are looking forward to many more years of Holiday Trains to come!

For the fourth year, Portage la Prairie Heritage Inc. hosted the Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale, this time held at the Centennial Arena in Portage la Prairie. Again, there were approximately 80 display tables of antiques, collectibles, and other items. This year's sale again topped attendance records.

We assisted the local Salvation Army Food Bank again this year in collecting donations for the CPR Holiday Train's 11th run. The weather was reasonably mild for December, the train was a few minutes early, and a good-sized crowd donated a good-sized amount of food, toys, and money (and enjoyed the show).