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

A national budget cut becomes a local story when people are still rebuilding a town. Parks Canada expects to eliminate 500 full-time-equivalent positions as its budget falls by $145 million over three years. What that means for Jasper's wildfire recovery workforce hasn't been made clear, leaving the most relevant local question unanswered.

There's a clearer result at Balkan. The Banff restaurant finished fourth worldwide for vegan and vegetarian dining in Tripadvisor's 2026 awards, alongside 14th place for casual dining. Canada had no other restaurant on either list.

If you remember July being dry, the summer totals aren't correcting your memory. Banff recorded its second-driest July in 134 years, with only 13% of its usual precipitation. June's rain helped lift the overall summer total above average. The seasons rarely distribute things evenly.

For a change from reading reports, join an evening wildlife tour, with a guide using recent sightings to plan the route around Banff. You can leave the searching to someone else.

Plan Your Visit To Banff For October | November | December | January | February

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🍽️ Banff restaurant earns global rankings. Balkan Mediterranean Restaurant placed fourth worldwide for vegan and vegetarian dining and 14th for casual dining in Tripadvisor's 2026 awards. It was the only Canadian restaurant on either list.

🌲 Parks Canada plans staffing cuts. The agency expects to cut 500 full-time-equivalent jobs nationwide amid $145 million in budget reductions over three years. Effects on Jasper's wildfire recovery workforce remain unclear.

🌦️ Banff's second-driest July in 134 years. Banff received just 5.9 mm of precipitation in July, 13% of its usual total. A wet June helped push overall summer precipitation 14% above average.

⛷️ Ski lifts move to later starts. Nakiska, Lake Louise, Sunshine and Norquay will start lifts at 9:30 am this winter following Alberta's switch to permanent daylight time. Lifts close at 4 pm at Nakiska and 4:30 pm elsewhere.

⚠️ Banff Legacy Trail winter warning. Parks Canada advises against all travel until spring. The trail isn't maintained through winter, with possible deep snow, snowplough debris, ice, closed gates and limited access.

👻 Jasper hotel becomes haunted house. The Astoria Hotel's 12-room haunted experience runs October 30 and 31, with live actors and interactive puzzles. Early sessions are family-friendly, while later sessions are for adults.

🏕️ Winter camping returns to Jasper. Wapiti Campground switches to winter camping on October 28, with 40 first-come, first-served electric campsites in Loop AA. Potable water, a heated washroom and firewood.

📚 Banff's mountain book winners announced. Seven category winners have been chosen from 173 submissions to the Banff Mountain Book Competition. The $5,000 grand prize will be announced on November 5.

❄️ Banff's snowy start comes with a sunnier sequel. Sunday brings periods of snow with a high of 0°C. Monday turns sunny with a high of 6°C. Tuesday brings a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 6°C. Full Forecast Here

🐕 No charges for Banff superintendent. Parks Canada has finished its off-leash dog investigation into Salman Rasheed and won't lay charges.

🚂 Holiday Train's boxcar stage returns. Catch free Holiday Train concerts with Sam Roberts Band and Owen Riegling on 15 December.

🍽️ Banff's autumn dining deals. Been meaning to try somewhere new? Taste for Adventure brings special menus and dining deals from 22 October to 5 November.

⛰️ Banff Gondola - Skip the slog up Sulphur Mountain. The gondola reaches the top in about eight minutes, leaving time to walk the boardwalk to Sanson's Peak and its 1903 weather observatory, with views across six mountain ranges.

🔦 Johnston Canyon Evening Icewalk - Ever walked a canyon by starlight? This guided night walk from Banff follows the catwalks to Johnston Canyon's frozen Lower Falls for hot chocolate by a natural cave, with the option to return with headlamps off.

🏝️ Jasper Wildlife Tour with Maligne Lake Cruise - Staying in Jasper? Hotel pickup starts a drive up the Maligne Valley watching for bears, elk and moose, with a stroll at Medicine Lake, the 'disappearing lake', before a 90-minute cruise to Spirit Island.

Does my Banff park pass also cover Jasper, Yoho and Kananaskis?

Yes for Jasper and Yoho, but Kananaskis needs a separate pass.

Your Banff daily admission pass also covers Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay while it's valid. You don't need to buy another pass each time you cross a park boundary, or buy an annual Discovery Pass just because you're visiting several parks. The Discovery Pass also covers all four.

Kananaskis uses Alberta's separate Kananaskis Conservation Pass. Unless a free day or exemption applies, you'll need one when parking at provincial park and public land sites within its coverage area. It's registered to your vehicle's licence plate and currently costs $15 for a day or $90 for a year.

Simply driving through Kananaskis doesn't require that pass, and neither does visiting Canmore townsite. Check your actual destination, though: nearby recreation areas can fall within the pass boundary.

Our Banff Park Pass and Kananaskis Pass guide explains both systems, where they apply and how to buy each pass.

Featured events are listed below. View the FULL EVENT CALENDAR for a complete list.

All Day | Taste for Adventure | Banff Town | Banff
11:00 | Art Show and Sale: Meg Nicks | Canmore Art Guild | Canmore
13:00 | Stoney Drum Making Workshop | Listen Studios | Canmore
13:30 | Park Distillery Tour | Park Distillery | Banff
15:00 | Live Music Afternoon | Three Bears | Banff
15:00 | Ain’t We Got Fun (Matinee) | Carter-Ryan Theatre | Canmore
19:00 | Drag Bingo | Tavern 1883 | Canmore
19:00 | Movie Premiere: Delinquents Presents N0F00D | High Rollers | Banff
19:30 | Balkan Greek Dinner Show | Balkan Restaurant | Banff
19:30 | Little Miss Higgins | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore
20:30 | Line Dancing | The Dusty Boot | Banff
21:00 | Sunday Funday: Party | High Rollers | Banff
21:00 | Karaoke Night | Beaver Bar | Banff
21:30 | Locals Night with DJ Set | Melissa’s Missteak | Banff
22:00 | Brent Lee | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff
22:00 | Sunday Night Karaoke | Banff Sizzlers | Banff

All Day | Taste for Adventure | Banff Town | Banff
11:00 | Art Show and Sale: Meg Nicks | Canmore Art Guild | Canmore
13:30 | Park Distillery Tour | Park Distillery | Banff
19:00 | Film: Passchendaele | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore
20:00 | Monday Trivia | High Rollers | Banff
20:00 | Live Music Night | Three Bears | Banff
21:00 | Open Mic Night | Beaver Bar | Banff
22:00 | Karaoke Night | The Drake | Canmore
22:00 | Brent Lee | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff

All Day | Taste for Adventure | Banff Town | Banff
13:30 | Park Distillery Tour | Park Distillery | Banff
19:00 | Trivia Tuesday | Rose and Crown Canmore | Canmore
19:30 | Tulua | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore
19:30 | Ain’t We Got Fun | Carter-Ryan Theatre | Canmore
19:30 | Bing-Glow! | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff
20:30 | Line Dancing | The Dusty Boot | Banff
20:30 | Comedy Night | The Drake | Canmore
21:00 | DJ Styler Nazo | High Rollers | Banff
22:00 | Jesse Peters | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff

All Day | Taste for Adventure | Banff Town | Banff
13:30 | Park Distillery Tour | Park Distillery | Banff
15:00 | Live Music Afternoon | Three Bears | Banff
18:00 | Open Mic Nights at Wild Life | Wild Life Distillery | Canmore
19:00 | Open Mic/Jam Night | Rose and Crown Canmore | Canmore
19:00 | Trivia Night | The Stand Easy | Jasper
19:00 | Open Mic Night | The Local | Canmore
19:30 | Ain’t We Got Fun | Carter-Ryan Theatre | Canmore
20:00 | Trivia Night | Beaver Bar | Banff
20:30 | Line Dancing | The Dusty Boot | Banff
22:00 | Pineo & Loeb Halloween Party | Melissa's MisSteak | Banff
22:00 | DJ Raven | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff
22:00 | DJ Bunny Hops | High Rollers | Banff

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

Book a spot on this evening wildlife tour, and your guide builds the route around that day's recent sightings - with stops at Lake Minnewanka, Bow Falls, and the Mt. Norquay lookout.

Check availability for your dates

From our last issue: Which mountain is shown at the end of Banff Avenue in this photo?

✅ Answer: 4) Cascade Mountain - 45% Correct

Cascade Mountain dominates the view at the end of Banff Avenue, but it’s a demanding climb. For a much easier option with great views, see our Tunnel Mountain hike guide.

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