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

This year's Canada Day parade on Banff Avenue moves to 10 a.m., passed by a 3-3 council vote, with up to $25,000 from reserves for additional staffing. If you're driving from Calgary, a 7:30 a.m. departure gets you there in time.

Canmore gets a new steakhouse on June 26. Hunter, at Spring Creek, is running a classic menu - shrimp cocktail, wedge salad, tartare - over a wood-fired Josper grill. Reservations are now open.

Over in Jasper, the 98-year-old Athabasca Hotel has new owners and a $4.5 million renovation on the way - including, finally, an elevator. The hotel was originally built so its owners could legally sell beer, which may say more about priorities than architecture.

If you'd rather let someone else handle the logistics, the one-day tour covering Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, Johnston Canyon, and the Natural Bridge takes care of the access and timing questions that tend to derail mornings in this part of the park.

Jasper’s Big 3 Waterfalls | Maligne Canyon (before the fire) | Athabasca Falls | Sunwapta Falls

👉 Follow us on YouTube | Facebook | Instagram for more updates!
👉 Find out what is happening this week and beyond on our Events Page.
👉 Sign Up Here to receive "What's On Banff" five days a week - it's free!

Not sure where to stay? Wondering how many days you need? Trying to fit too much into your itinerary?

Book a 50-minute consultation with Jill for personalised advice on planning your Banff and Canadian Rockies trip. You'll also receive a written summary and follow-up email support.

Our favourite thing about Baker Creek is the setting. The cabins sit beside a clear glacier-fed stream, and many are just a few steps from the water. You can wake up to the sound of the creek and step outside into the forest surrounded by mountains.

It’s also about a 10-minute drive from Lake Louise along the Bow Valley Parkway. This makes it a convenient base if you’re hoping to get to the lake early before the crowds build.

Evenings are peaceful here, with the creek running through the property and firepits where guests often sit and relax.

Reserve now to stay beside Baker Creek in Banff National Park.

🎉 Canada Day Parade Gets an Earlier Start. Banff council deadlocked 3-3 before approving a 10 a.m. start for this year's parade on Banff Avenue, with up to $25,000 from reserves for extra staffing. A 10 a.m. parade means leaving Calgary around 7:30 a.m.

🥩 Steak Comes to Spring Creek. Hunter, Concorde Entertainment Group's new Canmore steakhouse, opens June 26 with a menu of classics - shrimp cocktail, wedge salad, steak tartare - cooked over a wood-fired Josper grill.

🐻 A Museum of Victorian Wildlife. Built in 1903, the Banff Park Museum displays over 5,000 specimens of bears, bighorns and birds downtown, free under the Canada Strong Pass. It shows less the Rockies than how the Victorians chose to catalogue them.

🍺 Jasper's Oldest Hotel Changes Hands. Two Edmonton sisters have bought the 98-year-old Athabasca Hotel, the downtown "Atha-B," with a $4.5 million upgrade that finally adds an elevator. It was built only so its original owners could legally sell beer.

🎭 Outdoor Theatre Returns to Centennial Park. Pine Tree Players' Summer Theatre Festival stages Anne of Green Gables and Little Women at the Stan Rogers Memorial Stage, July 8-19. Bring your own blanket or chair; the cast and crew are all local.

🌧️ Three days, three different moods for the Rockies. Saturday's got one more shower up its sleeve with a 60 per cent chance and a high of 17°C; Sunday cools off under cloud cover at 14°C, then Monday rewards your patience with sunshine and 19°C. Full Forecast Here

🌄 Sunset Festival Returns to Sulphur Mountain. The Banff Gondola hosts live music at the summit nightly from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. through September 7, included with your gondola ticket.

🚠 Banff Gondola on Sulphur Mountain - Want the big view without the four-hour slog? This scenic gondola climbs to 2,281 metres, where a boardwalk serves up 360-degree views and the odd bighorn sheep. Pack a layer; the summit's far cooler than town.

📸 Banff Photoshoot Experience - Fancy taking home more than phone snaps? This private photo session pairs you with a local photographer across three scenic spots, with a fully edited gallery to follow. Bring a spare outfit for variety and comfy shoes for light walking.

🛶 Lake Louise & Moraine Canoe Tour - Dread the boathouse queues? This guided canoe tour skips the wait with an hour's paddle towards Victoria Glacier, then carries on to car-free Moraine Lake. Pack a waterproof shell; mountain weather turns on a whim.

🏔️ Does a Banff pass cover parking in Kananaskis Country? No - the two systems are completely separate, and knowing which pass applies where could save you a fine.

🍂 What time of year can you do a ghost tour in Banff? Tours run across the warmer months, so autumn is a particularly atmospheric time to go before the season ends in November.

📅 Can you hike Grassi Lakes in any season? Yes, though conditions vary - what to expect changes significantly between summer, autumn, and winter visits. Check for any closures.

The best Banff days start without a commute - no shuttle to wait for, no parking lot to navigate, no twenty minutes lost before you've even had breakfast. These three hotels all sit within easy walking distance of Banff Avenue and everything that branches off it.

🏨 Peaks Hotel & Suites - The most recently built of the three, and consistently one of the top-rated hotels on Tripadvisor. It sits on the town's pedestrian zone, so you're walking out the door straight into the centre of things. Rooms include fridges and espresso makers, underground parking is available on-site, and guests have access to the pool and restaurants at sister property Banff Park Lodge directly across the street. Compare prices before you book

🌲 Banff Park Lodge - Sits between downtown and the Bow River, which gives it a quieter feel than properties right on Banff Avenue without any real loss of convenience. Three on-site restaurants, an indoor pool, eucalyptus steam room, hot tub, heated underground parking, and a ski shuttle from the front door in winter. For a full-service hotel this close to the centre, it covers most bases. Compare prices before you book

🏔️ Mount Royal Hotel - On Banff Avenue since 1908, which is long enough to have earned an opinion or two. The rooftop hot tubs with views of Cascade Mountain remain the headline draw, and the in-hotel museum and library are worth a look on a slow morning. Parking is available on-site at $10 a night, but spaces are limited and first-come, so plan accordingly if you're driving. Rooms lean smaller, but the location makes up for it. Compare prices before you book

Yesterday’s Question: What is the annual Parks Canada pass called?

✅ Answer: A) Discovery Pass - 55% Correct

A Discovery Pass gives access to Banff and other national parks. Find out about all the passes you’ll need.

Visiting the Rockies’ most famous lakes often involves careful planning, especially with restricted access to Moraine Lake and limited parking at Lake Louise. This tour allows you to visit both iconic lakes, along with Johnston Canyon, Emerald Lake, and the Natural Bridge.

Reserve your seat and leave the planning to someone else

📅 Featured events for today are listed below. Visit our website for a complete list.

FULL EVENT CALENDAR | BANFF & LAKE LOUISE | CANMORE | JASPER NP
BANFF HAPPY HOURS | CANMORE HAPPY HOURS

10:00 | Workshop: Food is Our Teacher | The Co+ Kitchen | Canmore

12:00 | Ellen Anderson Penno - Author Reading | Cafe Books | Canmore

14:00 | Live Music | Big Dog Smokehouse & BBQ | Canmore

18:30 | Live Musician Night | The Dusty Boot | Banff

19:30 | Twonees: Live Local Music | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore

19:30 | Dance: On Second Thoughts | The Banff Centre | Banff

19:30 | Balkan Greek Dinner Show | Balkan Restaurant | Banff

20:00 | PEAK: Rooftop patio party | Rose & Crown Banff | Banff

21:00 | David Roy: Live | Tavern 1883 | Canmore

21:00 | Caution Avenue: Live | The Stand Easy | Jasper

22:00 | Jesse Roads Band | Rose & Crown Banff | Banff

22:00 | Fonzie Scheme: Live | The Drake | Canmore

📅 👉 Submit Here (3 days before the event date) for a FREE LISTING

✉️ Not on our mailing list? 👉 Sign Up Here to receive “What’s On Banff” IT’S FREE!

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

👉 Follow us on YouTube | Facebook | Instagram for more updates!

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