Hi Everyone! Here's Whatโ€™s Happening This Week!

This is a quiet week. The avalanche warnings have eased, the roads that spent March closing without notice are open again, and no one has yet been fined for leaving a bag of chips unattended near a wolf.

Summer is a few weeks out, and the Rockies are in the brief, pleasant interval between "genuinely hazardous" and "genuinely crowded" - the point at which you can drive the Icefields Parkway without a closure alert and park in Banff without treating it as a tactical exercise.

Easter lands this weekend, and the town has responded accordingly. Sunshine Village has an Easter Bunny on skis working the mountain from 10 am to noon on Sunday, the last day of the season for that particular tradition. The Banff Gondola's Bloom and Brunch Festival opens this weekend and runs through May, with a buffet brunch, a spritz bar, and live entertainment at the summit. The Fairmont Banff Springs is doing an Easter brunch in the Vermillion Room on Sunday from 11:30 am, open to the public.

All of this is happening before the elk get territorial and the tourists get their first wildlife fine. Good timing.

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

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Moraine Lake and Lake Louise are two of the most popular Banff destinations, but planning a visit can be surprisingly tricky. Moraine Lake has no private vehicle access, and parking at Lake Louise is extremely limited, especially in peak season.

This half-day tour removes those hurdles by including round-trip transport from Banff and handling access for you.

You get to spend around 90 minutes at each lake. This gives you time to walk the shoreline trails, take your photos of the turquoise water, and spend some time taking in the mountain views. With transport and timing taken care of, you can focus on the experience rather than the logistics.

๐Ÿ”๏ธ Fresh from the Rockies

๐ŸŒค๏ธ A weekend warm-up is coming to Banff. Saturday mixes sun and cloud with a 30% chance of flurries or showers and a high of +9ยฐC. Sunday goes full cloud cover at +5ยฐC, while Monday delivers a triumphant +11ยฐC to close out the stretch. Full forecast here.

๐Ÿฐ Easter at the Banff Springs Castle. The Fairmont Banff Springs is running an Easter programme this weekend, including a pop-up cocktail bar, floral installations, and an Easter Brunch in the Vermillion Room on Sunday, 5 April from 11:30 am. Dining is open to the public; activities are for hotel guests only.

๐Ÿ  Alberta Rewrites Canmore's Vacancy Tax. The province wants to limit Canmore's vacancy tax to non-Albertan second homeowners only, exempting residents who own a second property in the mountain town. The tax, which funds affordable housing in Canmore, survived two court challenges before the province stepped in. About a quarter of Canmore's properties are owned by part-time residents.

๐Ÿท Winemakers' Dinner in Canmore. The Stirling Grill & Lounge is hosting a Winemakers' Dinner presented by Galileo Wine and Spirits on 7 May, featuring wines from France and Italy. Doors open at 6 pm at 321 Spring Creek Drive.

๐Ÿฐ Easter Bunny Hits the Slopes. Sunshine Village has an Easter Bunny on skis this weekend, handing out chocolate eggs on the mountain from 10 am to noon. Catch him before he hops off - Sunday is the last day.

๐ŸŒธ Brunch Season Opens on Sulphur Mountain. The Banff Gondola's Bloom & Brunch Festival runs weekends through 31 May, with a buffet brunch, spritz bar, and live entertainment at Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen. Easter Sunday features an all-ages DJ dance party.

โญ Most Popular Last Issue

โ›บ Outdoor living, indoor comfort. Skyridge Glamping puts you in a private cabin surrounded by mountain scenery - close enough to nature to feel it, comfortable enough to actually relax. Real beds, warm bathrooms, and mornings with no agenda. Book your stay.

โœจ Luxury Hotels in the Rockies Worth Every Penny

Banff is already an expensive trip before you've booked a single night, so if you're spending serious money, you may as well spend it somewhere that genuinely delivers. These three properties are the benchmark for what a high-end Rockies stay should look like.

๐Ÿ”๏ธ Rimrock Resort Hotel - Perched above the town with views that justify the room rate on their own, the Rimrock reopens 1st July after renovations - which means fresh rooms, refreshed facilities, and a property that will be operating at its best just in time for peak summer. Book ahead. Read The Reviews And Book

๐Ÿฐ Fairmont Banff Springs - The castle in the mountains has been doing this for over a century, and the scale of the place - multiple restaurants, a full spa, an on-site golf course - means you rarely need to leave. It's busy in summer, but the property absorbs crowds better than most. Read The Reviews And Book

๐Ÿž๏ธ Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise - You are paying a premium to wake up with Lake Louise outside your window, and for once, the reality matches the expectation. The lake is busiest mid-morning; guests who roll out early have it largely to themselves before the day-trippers arrive. Read The Reviews And Book

โ“Your Questions Answered

๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Do I need to pay to park even if I have a national park pass? Yes - your park pass covers park entry, but parking in Banff town centre is charged separately, year-round.

๐Ÿป Who is Boo the grizzly bear? Boo is a famous rescued grizzly living at the Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge in Golden, BC - one of the best-known bear conservation stories in the Canadian Rockies.

๐Ÿ“… What is the best time of year to visit Bow Falls? The trail is open year-round and rewards a visit in every season - spring brings powerful flows, autumn colour, and winter transforms it into a quiet, icy scene.

๐ŸšฃActivities You Might Enjoy

๐Ÿš Canmore Helicopter Tour - Twenty-five minutes above the Three Sisters, banking through the passes to reveal the Spray Valley beyond. The views from Alpine Helicopters' Canmore base are immediate and close - less sightseeing flight, more geology lesson at altitude.

๐Ÿค  Banff Cowboy Cookout - A horse-drawn wagon along the Bow River, a stop at a backcountry cabin, and steak on an open grill. Warner Stables has been running this for years - it shows. Bring a layer for the ride home.

๐ŸฆŒ Canmore Evening Wildlife Tour - The Bow Valley's golden hour is when things get interesting. This small-group evening run covers the quieter wildlife corridors around Canmore and Banff - elk are almost a certainty, bears less so, but the light alone is worth it.

๐Ÿ•๏ธ Quiz

Approximately how tall is Takakkaw Falls?

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Yesterdayโ€™s Question: What famous scenic road is Bow Lake located along?

โœ…Answer: 2) Icefields Parkway - 62% Correct

Bow Lake is one of the easiest and most scenic stops along the Icefields Parkway. Learn more in our Bow Lake Guide.

Our favourite thing about Baker Creek is the setting. The cabins sit beside a clear glacier-fed stream, and many are just steps from the water. Itโ€™s also about a 10-minute drive from Lake Louise along the Bow Valley Parkway, making it a convenient base if youโ€™re hoping to reach the lake early before the crowds build.

๐ŸŽธEvents, Activities & Live Music

๐Ÿ“… Todayโ€™s Events are listed below. To view future events, visit our website.

Saturday, April 4

11:00 | Easter Drag Brunch | The Canadian Brewhouse | Banff

13:00 | Easter At Canmore Museum | Canmore Museum | Canmore

13:15 | Wild Life Distillery Tour | Wild Life Distillery | Canmore

15:00 | Model Patio Party | The Fat Ox | Banff

16:00 | Mike Burns: Live | Banff Legion | Banff

19:00 | Adventure Film Collective | Canmore Brewing Co | Canmore

20:00 | Live Music Night | St. James Gate | Banff

20:30 | Lanigan & Luke: Live | Tavern 1883 | Canmore

22:00 | Club Night: DJ Raven | High Rollers | Banff

22:00 | Mo' Marley: Live | Rose & Crown | Banff

22:00 | Fiv5 Elements | The Drake | Canmore

22:00 | Mike Burns: Live | Rose & Crown | Canmore

๐Ÿ“… Got An Event To Share?

๐Ÿ“… Submit Here (8 days before event date)
Complete starred sections. For a FREE LISTING, check the box on the promotions page.

๐Ÿ‘‹ Thatโ€™s All For Now ๐ŸŽฌ

Another week of mountain magic awaits!
We're so glad you're here for the ride.
Keep exploring and sharing, and we'll see you in the next issue with another full lineup of Banff happenings.

Jill & Kevin | Editor | Whatโ€™s On Banff

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