Hi Everyone! Here's What’s Happening This Week!

A grizzly bear named Nakoda was struck and killed by a vehicle on a Banff park road in 2023. She was white - rare enough that most people who saw her remembered it. A new study tracking 109 GPS-collared grizzlies has since put numbers to what happened: food scarcity, not boldness, is what pulls bears toward roadsides. In dry pine terrain, the buffaloberry and grasses along the verge are often simply better than what the forest offers. The study is thorough, and the data is solid. Nakoda will not be the last bear killed on these roads.

Roam Transit carried three million riders through the Bow Valley in 2025 and is doing it out of a depot that is already over capacity. A study pegs the fix at $45 million, with a rebuilt facility, 69 bus spaces, and 27 units of staff housing that arrived in the proposals without much fanfare.

Sunday brings something quieter: a documentary premiere at Canmore Brewing Company about the Canmore Folk Festival - doors 6:30, film at 7:00. One thread follows a local musician who was present the last night Stan Rogers passed a guitar around a campfire. Rogers died shortly after. The festival's main stage bears his name.

There is plenty happening this week. Dive into the event listings below, or check out the detailed events page on our website.

Useful Links

How to get to Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake In August

Moraine Lake Rockpile Trail

👉 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

👉 Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for more updates!

👉 Sign Up Here to receive “What’s On Banff” five days a week - it’s free!

If you’re curious about the grand stone “castle” overlooking Banff, this is it. The Fairmont Banff Springs has been welcoming travellers for more than a century and remains one of the most recognisable hotels in the Canadian Rockies. It sits just above the Bow River, a short drive from downtown, giving you mountain views in every direction.

Staying here is as much about the setting as the hotel itself. You’re close enough to town for an easy visit, but the hotel grounds feel tucked into the mountains, with walking trails and viewpoints just outside the door.

Book now and experience one of Banff’s most iconic places to stay.

❄️ Snow's not done with Banff just yet - but sunshine is waiting in the wings. Saturday brings a chance of flurries with a high of 0°C. Sunday goes full winter with snow and a high of -2°C. Then Monday flips the script - sunny skies and a much more cheerful 8°C. Full Forecast Here

🐻 Nakoda and the Road's Pull. A new study tracking 109 GPS-collared grizzlies across the southern Canadian Rockies found that food scarcity - not boldness - is pulling bears toward roadsides. In Alberta's dry pine terrain, buffaloberry and roadside grasses are often the most reliable option. Nakoda, Banff's white grizzly, was struck and killed by a vehicle in 2023.

🚌 39 Buses. One Depot. One Big Bill. Roam Transit's Hawk Avenue facility is already over capacity, and a new study pegs the fix at $45 million - plus a rebuilt depot, 69 bus spaces, and 27 units of staff housing that nobody quite announced. Roam carried three million riders in 2025. The buses are parked somewhere in the meantime.

🎬 A Love Letter to the Bow Valley's Longest Party. A new feature documentary on the Canmore Folk Festival premieres this Sunday at Canmore Brewing Company - doors 6:30 p.m., film at 7. One of its stories: a local musician who heard Stan Rogers pass a guitar around a campfire one night in the early 1980s. It was the last time Rogers played before his death - and the festival's main stage now bears his name.

🎥 Indigenous Film Night Returns to Canmore. Arts Place hosts the third annual Indigenous Film Night on April 30, screening three short films on land, culture, and outdoor access - followed by filmmaker and community Q&A. Featured guest Connor Ryan, a Hunkpapa Lakota skier and activist, appears in the opening film. All proceeds support Soul of Miistaki and The Howl Experience.

🎿 Sunshine Takes North America's Top Spot. Banff Sunshine has been named Best Overall Ski Resort in North America by OnTheSnow, beating out Jackson Hole and Big Sky based on thousands of firsthand user reviews. The resort spans 3,300 acres across three mountains and a provincial border.

🐻 Grinder and Coola Are Back. If grizzly sightings in Banff have been thin on the ground, and you want a bear fix, Grouse Mountain's resident bears emerged from their den on 18 April after 149 days of hibernation - healthy, unhurried, and apparently unimpressed by the fuss. You can visit them here.

🌸 Sunshine Meadows Guided Alpine Hike - A gondola and chairlift get you to 2,400m, then a 12km guided walk across the Continental Divide takes in three high-alpine lakes and some of the best wildflower and larch scenery in the Rockies. Book this guided Sunshine Meadows hike with gondola - bagged lunch included, sturdy boots essential.

🚙 Calgary to Canmore SUV Tour - If the idea of a coach full of strangers doesn't appeal, this private SUV day tour from Calgary through Banff to Lake Louise and Canmore is a decent alternative. Around 8.5 hours, small group, flexible stops. Worth it for the flexibility alone.

🕳️ Canmore Cave Tour - Six hours in a wild, undeveloped limestone cave system on Grotto Mountain - rappelling 18 metres into the dark, crawling through narrow passages, and reaching a subterranean pool at the end. This Canmore caving adventure tour is as far from a show cave as it gets. Not for the faint-hearted.

🏔️ Is Bankhead Ghost Town more of a history experience or an outdoor walk? It's genuinely both - industrial relics and interpretive displays sit alongside mountain views, which is what makes the Bankhead Ghost Town visit worth the short detour.

⚠️ How do you stay safe around elk? Keep your distance, control your dog, and watch for warning signs of aggression.

🚶 Is the Canmore Engine Bridge open to walkers and cyclists? Yes - the bridge is now a shared pedestrian and cycling route as part of a riverside trail loop, making it accessible for a range of visitors without any special equipment.

Banff is worth every minute you spend there, but sleeping in it is a different calculation entirely - the prices are high, the parking is a negotiation you'll lose, and the town doesn't exactly quieten down at night. These three Canmore properties put you 20 minutes from the park gate with considerably more breathing room.

🏨 The Malcolm Hotel - Canmore's most polished full-service hotel, with a proper spa, a good restaurant on-site, and rooms that don't require you to make peace with "rustic." You're walking distance from Main Street and a straightforward drive to Banff, Lake Louise, or Kananaskis. Read The Reviews And Book

🏕️ Pocaterra Inn - A solid, no-fuss base that gets consistently strong reviews for comfort and value - two things that are harder to find in Banff at the same price point. The indoor waterpark makes it genuinely useful if you're travelling with children who need somewhere to burn off energy after a long trail day. Read The Reviews And Book

🏔️ Blackstone Mountain Lodge - Condo-style suites with full kitchens and mountain views that you'll actually notice from the window rather than having to walk to a viewpoint for. Good for longer stays, multi-generational groups, or anyone who'd rather cook half their meals than eat every dinner out at Banff prices. Read The Reviews And Book

Yesterday’s Question: Which national park is Takakkaw Falls located in?

✅Answer: 1) Yoho National Park - 69% Correct

Takakkaw Falls is one of the highlights of Yoho National Park and an easy stop when visiting the area. Learn more in our Takakkaw Falls Guide.

Moraine Lake and Lake Louise are two of the most popular Banff destinations, but Moraine Lake has no private vehicle access, and parking at Lake Louise is extremely limited. This half-day tour removes those hurdles by including round-trip transport from Banff and handling access for you.

Book now for a relaxed lakes experience

📅 Today’s Events are listed below. To view future events, visit our website.

BANFF EVENTS | CANMORE EVENTS | JASPER EVENTS | BANFF HAPPY HOURS | CANMORE HAPPY HOURS |

📅 Submit Here (8 days before event date)
Complete starred sections. For a FREE LISTING, check the box on the promotions page.

✉️ If you’re not already on our mailing list, you can sign up here to receive “What’s On Banff” five days a week - it’s free! 👉 Sign Up Here

💬 Want to get in touch? For feedback, local stories, or questions, reply to this email.

👉 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

👉 Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for more updates

💡 This email contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.