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

The Grizzly Paw is turning 30, and its idea of a birthday present is giving the savings to everyone else. Through all of May, pints are $4 during happy hour at The Paw, The Taproom, and TANK310 - prices are rolled back to what they were when the brewery first opened in 1996. In a valley where a round of drinks can quietly become a budget line item, it's worth knowing about.

Elsewhere, the Bow Valley Parkway's eastern 17km is now car-free between 8 am and 8 pm daily until June 25. If you're planning to cycle or hike it, there's a guide here on how to make the most of it.

On the slopes, it turns out a terrible snow year in Utah was good for business here. American skier numbers at Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, and Norquay were up 50% this season - Utah's snowpack peaked at its lowest level since 1930, and a lot of those skiers came north instead.

And if you're thinking about Jasper, the Maligne Lake cruise opens on 1st June - a 90-minute boat trip out to Spirit Island, with guides covering how the valley is recovering from the 2024 wildfire. Worth the drive.

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

Plan Your Visit To Banff For August | September | October

👉 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!

Lake Louise is one of the must-see destinations in Banff National Park, but access isn’t easy. Staying at the Chateau Lake Louise is one of the most straightforward ways to experience Lake Louise without the usual challenges.

The hotel sits directly on the lakeshore, which means you can enjoy early mornings and quieter evenings once the day visitors have left. Many of the area’s best-known hikes, including routes to Lake Agnes and the Plain of Six Glaciers, start right outside the hotel.

It’s also a practical base for visiting Moraine Lake, making it easier to fit in shuttle or guided options without juggling long travel days or early starts from Banff.

Find out more about this iconic hotel

🌤️ A beautiful stretch of spring days is rolling into the Rockies - with sun, cloud, and temps climbing toward the weekend. Friday brings a mix of sun and cloud at 18°C. Saturday stays mild with more sun and cloud at 16°C. Sunday turns fully sunny and hits 20°C - a great day to get outside. Full Forecast Here

🍺 Grizzly Paw Turns 30 With $4 Pints. The Canmore brewery is rolling beer prices back to 1996 for all of May - $4 pints at The Paw, The Taproom, and TANK310 during daily happy hour. In a town where a round can quietly become a financial event, the timing is good.

⛷️ American Skiers Discovered Banff This Winter. Poor snowpack across much of the western U.S. drove a 50% surge in American visitors to Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, and Norquay this season. Utah's snowpack peaked at 19% of normal - the lowest on record since 1930.

🚴 Bow Valley Parkway Goes Car-Free. From April 30, the eastern 17km of the Bow Valley Parkway is closed to vehicles daily from 8 am to 8 pm until June 25 -full route guide, parking tips, and what to watch for in the link.

🪶 Canmore's Indigenous History Month Announced. Canmore has released its June programme for National Indigenous History Month. It is anchored by a Main Event at the Civic Centre on June 13 with pow wow demonstrations, an Indigenous market, and Stoney Nakoda vendors at the Mountain Market every Thursday.

🚌 Roam Transit Schedules Update May 13. Routes 1, 2, 8X, 9, and 12 get new timetables from May 13, with Routes 4 and 6 returning to service. Route 7 runs its last day on May 12 and won't operate again until autumn. What you need to know about Roam Transit.

🏃‍♀️ Women's Run Returns to Canmore. The Rocky Mountain Soap Women's Run returns May 22-24 with options from a 5km stroller jog to a mountain half marathon. All registrations include $50 in Rocky Mountain Soap products, with proceeds supporting Girls Forward Foundation.

If you're trying to fit Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Johnston Canyon, and Emerald Lake into a single day without the parking headache, this one-day tour handles the logistics so you don't have to.

🌅 Moraine Lake Sunrise & Sunset Tour - Direct transport from Banff or Canmore to watch the alpenglow hit the Valley of the Ten Peaks without battling the Parks Canada shuttle. Sunrise option includes headlamps and blankets - the evening version adds stargazing with monoculars.

🧊 Columbia Icefield & Glacier Skywalk - Step onto the Athabasca Glacier via a six-wheeled Ice Explorer, then cross a glass-bottomed walkway suspended 280 metres above the Sunwapta Valley. Allow around three hours and exchange your voucher at the desk on arrival.

🚢 Maligne Lake Cruise & Wildlife Tour - A six-hour loop through Jasper's Maligne Valley, stopping at the geological oddity of Medicine Lake before a 90-minute boat cruise out to Spirit Island. Note that the 2024 wildfire changed the landscape - guides provide context on the recovery.

👨‍👩‍👧 Are Banff gondolas suitable for families and people with limited mobility? Most are accessible and family-friendly, though summit conditions and facilities differ between each one - worth checking before you go.

⏱️ How long does the Grassi Lakes hike take? Most people complete the round trip in one to two hours, though it's worth budgeting extra time to enjoy the lakes at the top.

🐾 Are cougar attacks common in Banff? They are extremely rare - cougars are shy animals that almost always slip away unseen. See the full guide

Banff is not a town that naturally encourages you to slow down - the car parks are full, the trails are busy, and the town hums along at full volume from June to October. These three hotels make it easier to switch off, whether you're in Banff itself or 20 minutes down the valley.

🌿 Everwild, Canmore - Based in Canmore rather than Banff, which is quietly a selling point - free parking, a calmer town, and a Nordic thermal spa on-site that you don't have to queue for. Saunas, cold plunges, hot pools, and mountain views, without the Banff surcharge. Banff is 20 minutes away when you actually want it. Read The Reviews And Book

🦌 Banff Caribou Lodge - A solid mid-range option on Banff Avenue that punches above its price point on the wellness side. The spa access means you're not driving across town after a long hike - you're already there. Walkable, practical, and reliably well-reviewed. Read The Reviews And Book

🏔️ Rimrock Banff - Currently closed for a full renovation and reopening July 2026 as Rimrock Banff, Emblems Collection - with a new thermal wellness facility and infinity pool perched on Sulphur Mountain. Worth bookmarking now if you're planning a summer 2026 trip; early rates are already live. Read The Reviews And Book

Yesterday’s Question: Which mountain was this photo of Banff taken from, offering a popular viewpoint above the town?

✅Answer: 3) Tunnel Mountain - 29% Correct

Tunnel Mountain is a popular, short hike that gives you one of the best viewpoints over the Banff townsite. Find out what to expect in our Tunnel Mountain hike guide

If you want to experience alpine scenery around Jasper without committing to a long hike, the Jasper SkyTram is one of the simplest ways to do it. In just 7.5 minutes, the tram lifts you onto Whistler's Mountain, where you can stroll the boardwalk or hike the short Whistler’s Summit Trail.

Book now and enjoy Jasper’s alpine views with ease.

📅 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.