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This Is Not a Quiet Banff Week
🌟 What's On Banff - Events, Activities, Live Music & Good News! 😊
Kevin J
January 15, 2026
Hi Everyone! Here's What’s Happening This Week!
The calm before SnowDays doesn’t last long. With the festival launching this Saturday, Banff is on the edge of a busy winter weekend, led by skijoring and multiple other Snowdays events around town.
Skijoring is one of those events that instantly changes the feel of Banff once it begins. The combination of speed, skill, and horses on Banff Avenue makes it one of the most talked-about weekends of the season. SnowDays builds on that energy with winter activities and installations that run beyond opening weekend.
Elsewhere in the park, winter conditions are already influencing travel. The Icefields Parkway remains closed following heavy alpine snowfall, with avalanche control work ongoing and no confirmed reopening time.
This issue focuses on what’s coming up, what to plan for, and what to keep an eye on as the weekend approaches. There’s a lot ahead, and a bit of planning now will go a long way.
There is plenty more happening this week. Dive into the event listings below, or check out the detailed events page on our website.
Banff in January: Read this before planning your trip!
Banff in February: What you need to know!
🌤️ Today’s Weather
Banff: Mainly sunny, high 1 °C and low -6 °C.
Canmore: Mainly sunny, high 1 °C and low -7 °C.
Jasper: Mainly sunny, high 1 °C and low -9 °C.
👉 For a complete up-to-date forecast for the week ahead, visit our Weather Page.
This could easily be the standout experience from your Banff trip. The 25-minute helicopter flight from Canmore offers a completely different view of the landscape, lifting you above rivers, valleys, and mountain ranges, giving you a perspective you can’t get from the ground.
You’ll fly past the iconic Three Sisters before continuing into the Spray Valley, where lakes and wide open terrain really show the scale of the area. It’s a short flight, but it gives you a clear sense of just how vast and dramatic this part of the Rockies is.
Book now & see the Rockies from a new perspective!
🏔️ Fresh from the Rockies
🚧 Icefields Parkway remains closed following heavy alpine snowfall. Parks Canada crews are conducting essential avalanche control between Lake Louise and Jasper. Check 511 Alberta for the latest updates before travelling, as no reopening time is confirmed.
❄️ SnowDays festival launches this Saturday with skijoring and sculptures. Elsewhere around the park, enjoy record-breaking snow at ski resorts or the Lake Louise Loppet this weekend. Visitors are encouraged to use transit, as parking is limited.
🍷 Winefest Canmore arrives at The Malcolm Hotel this February. Indulge in an all-inclusive journey through global vineyards with curated hors d’oeuvres from 13-14 February. Tickets include unlimited samples and a take-home Riedel glass for this 18+ special edition event.
❄️ Heavy snowfall continues to hinder everyday commutes for Canmore residents. High precipitation and "mashed potato" consistency have caused significant ruts, with local school buses getting stuck in residential areas. Crews are now shifting to full snow removal in high-density neighbourhoods.
💰 Banff council has passed a 2.97 per cent municipal tax increase for 2026. To lower the tax burden, visitor pay parking will rise to £12 per hour during peak summer months. Revenue will fund enhanced Roam transit services and new housing initiatives.
🎬 Colleen Hoover’s "Reminders of Him" was filmed entirely across Southern Alberta. The 2026 romantic drama utilised Nanton as its primary small-town backdrop, alongside scenic mountain locations in Banff National Park and Bragg Creek. Calgary served as the production hub for interiors before filming wrapped in June 2025.
🏴 Rabbie Burns Day returns to The Malcolm Hotel this January. Enjoy a traditional Scottish evening at the Stirling featuring whisky tasting, Highland dancers, and the Address to the Haggis. Secure your ticket for the three-course chef-inspired dinner starting at 5:00 PM on 25 January.
⭐ Most Popular Last Issue
🍴 Wondering where to Eat in Banff? Start With a Food Tour. If you're not sure where to start with eating out in Banff, this guided walking tour combines a stroll through town with several food stops to help you get your bearings. Book here and get to know Banff through its food.
🏕️ Quiz
Which viewpoint was this photo of Lake Louise taken from, offering a higher perspective above the lakeshore? |
Today’s quiz answer appears at the end of the events section below.
Adventure outside the ordinary
Trusted specialty outdoor retailer, REI Co-op, has teamed up with the world’s largest adventure travel company, Intrepid Travel, to create a collection of active trips. From farm stays in Costa Rica to sunrise summits on Kilimanjaro, each trip is led by a local expert with small group sizes capped at 16.
For T&Cs and to view the full collection of trips in 85+ destinations, visit rei.com/travel.
🏔️ Plan Your Trip
Must-Stop Places on the Icefields Parkway (and How to Do the Trip)
Athabasca Falls
The Icefields Parkway between Banff/Lake Louise and Jasper isn’t just a drive; it’s one of the main highlights of the Canadian Rockies.
The scenery changes constantly, and the temptation to stop every few minutes is real. Planning a handful of meaningful stops and deciding how you want to travel makes the day far more enjoyable than trying to see everything at once.
Heading north, Bow Lake is one of the first stops that really stops people in their tracks. It’s an easy pull-off with huge views and works well early in the day when the water is calm.
Peyto Lake comes next and is worth the short uphill walk to the viewpoint for the classic perspective.
Mistaya Canyon is a quick stop but delivers dramatic power, especially in early summer when runoff is high.
Farther along, the Columbia Icefield area lets you get close to the Athabasca Glacier and adds a real sense of scale to the landscape.
Near Jasper, Sunwapta Falls is an easy, energetic finish before the scenery starts to soften into forest and river valleys.
How you do the Parkway matters. Driving yourself gives you total freedom to stop for light, wildlife, or weather changes, but it works best with an early start and a willingness to move on when parking is full.
Guided Icefields Parkway tours take the pressure off completely and add context you might otherwise miss, which is helpful if you’re short on time or prefer not to drive.
Splitting the journey over two days with an overnight stay near Lake Louise or Jasper turns the route into a relaxed experience rather than a long day behind the wheel.
Whatever option you choose, fewer stops and more time at each one usually leads to a better day. The Icefields Parkway rewards patience and flexibility more than speed.
🎸Events, Activities & Live Music
📅 Today’s Events are listed below. To view future events, visit our website.
Thursday, January 15
15:30 🥃 Park Distillery Tour - Park Distillery, Banff
17:00 ♟️ Chess Night - Canmore Public Library, Canmore
19:00 🍽️ Balkan Greek Night: Dinner Show - The Balkan, Banff
19:00 🗣️ Talk: High Arctic Adventure - artsPlace Canmore
19:00 ❓ Trivia Night - The Blake Brewhouse & Distillery, Canmore
19:00 🎱 Bingo Night! - Sheepdog Brewing, Banff
20:00 🎶 Irish Night: Live Music - St. James Gate, Banff
21:00 🎧 DJ Palf - High Rollers, Banff
21:00 🎸 Jam Night - Tavern 1883, Canmore
22:00 🎉 Thirsty Thursday Party - Melissa's MisSteak, Banff
22:00 🎶 Mo' Marley - Rose & Crown, Banff
📅 Got An Event To Share?
📅 Submit Here (8 days before event date)
Complete starred sections. For a FREE LISTING, check the box on the promotions page.
🏕️ Today’s Quiz Answer
✅Answer: 1) Fairview Lookout
Fairview Lookout offers a great view over Lake Louise. Our guide explains how to get to Lake Louise and plan your visit.
Yesterday’s Question: 57% of you correctly chose “The Last of Us”.
📢 The Banff Bulletin
The best food, tours, and finds across the Park.
🏨 Canalta Lodge Midweek Deal - Stay Mon to Thu and save 20% off until May 14, 2026. Check out the deal and what people are saying about the lodge.
🏞️ Lake Louise & Johnston Canyon Half-Day Tour - Price drop from $89 to $60 until Jan 21 on this 4.9⭐ rated tour. View deal
🧊 Discounted Abraham Ice Bubbles Tour - Visit Abraham, Peyto and Bow Lakes, with snowshoeing. Was $143, now $87 until March 3. Reserve here
🌮 Magpie and Stump, Banff - Thursdays from 5 pm, 50% off select beers, margaritas and Burritos. Plus DJ from 9 pm. More here.
🍺 Tavern 1883, Canmore - Daily happy hour 14:00-17:00. Enjoy 40% off all food and drink (excluding holidays). Find out more.
👋 That’s All For Now 🎬 Another week of mountain magic awaits! Jill & Kevin | Editor | What’s On Banff |  |
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