Hi Everyone! Here's What’s Happening This Week!
From Monday, the eastern 17 km of the Bow Valley Parkway - Fireside to Johnston Canyon - is closed to public vehicles until October 6. Bikes only. Park at the Banff train station lot and ride in.
Moraine Lake and Lake Louise remain their own logistical puzzle. This round-trip shuttle picks up in Banff and Canmore, gives you an hour and twenty minutes at each lake, and takes the parking question off the table entirely.
Christmas Market tickets go on sale September 1, with 20% off adult and senior passes until September 15. The market runs Thursdays to Sundays, November 19 to December 13. Organising Christmas in August is a strange business, but the discount is real enough.
Further up the Icefields Parkway, the Lodge at Bow Lake has the lake to itself at night. It is a historic building with no neighbours, half an hour north of Lake Louise, and the day traffic thins out considerably past the Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint. Stay the night and the evening is just the water, the mountains and the glaciers.
Plan a visit to Johnston Canyon | Why you need to hike Johnston Canyon | Johnston Canyon Hike - Banff National Park in July | Take the Hop-on Hop-off Bus | eBike to the canyon
👉 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!
🏔️ Planning your trip to Banff?
Ask Jill from What’s on Banff
Get practical local advice before you travel.
• 50-minute video call
• Written summary of personalised advice
• Follow-up email support
This round-trip shuttle picks up from Banff and Canmore and takes you straight to the lakes, with a guide pointing out park highlights along the way. 1 hour 20 minutes to explore at each lake.
🏔️ Fresh from the Rockies
Ha Link Peak & Canmore Engine Bridge
🚴 Bow Valley Parkway Goes Car-Free. From September 1 to October 6, the eastern 17 km between Fireside and Johnston Canyon closes to public vehicles for cyclists. Park at the Banff train station lot to start your ride.
🎄 Christmas Market Tickets Drop September 1. Early bird pricing takes 20% off adult and senior passes until September 15. The market runs Thursdays to Sundays, November 19 to December 13.
🚁 Hiker Critically Injured on Ha Ling. A man in his 30s was flown to hospital in critical condition after being hurt on the Ha Ling Peak trail near Canmore on Wednesday. Officials have not said how he was injured.
🐻 Bear Warning - Grizzly Family Testing Floe Lake Lockers. A female grizzly and her yearlings are investigating bear-proof food lockers at the campground, and bluff charged a solo hiker. Travel in groups of four or more through Numa Pass.
🐾 No Grizzly Count on the Books. Alberta is funding hair-sample monitoring research rather than a full population survey of grizzly bears. The last provincial count was in 2018.
☀️ Mild temps with a light chance of rain mixed in - Friday's mainly sunny at 21°C, Saturday brings a mix of sun and cloud with a chance of showers at 19°C, and Sunday holds that mix at a cooler 18°C. These showers have been all bark and no bite lately, so don't cancel weekend plans just yet. Full Forecast Here
⭐ Most Popular Last Issue
🛶 Banned From Banff Over Illegal Rental. David Daviau was fined $3,000 and barred from the park for a year after renting a boat without a licence at Lake Louise in July 2025. The family capsized. The father suffered a cardiac event.
🚣Activities You Might Enjoy
🔭 Banff Night Sky: Stargazing and Northern Lights Tour - Meeting at the Cave and Basin after dark, you drive out and walk 3.5km to a dark-sky clearing well beyond the town lights, where the guide picks out constellations and helps with night photography. Aurora sightings are never guaranteed.
🚶 Banff Town Guided Walking Tour with Snack - Two hours and about 3km on foot, deliberately steering away from Banff Avenue towards quieter corners, local stories and photo stops. A sweet treat and a drink are included partway round.
🚣 Kicking Horse River Half-Day Whitewater Rafting - Worth the drive over to Golden for 12km of Class 2 to 4 water, including the one-kilometre run of Portage Shotgun. All the river gear is provided, so you only need a swimsuit and towel.
❓Your Questions Answered
🚌 Can you get to Lake Louise without a car? Yes - shuttles, hop-on hop-off buses, guided tours, and public transit all get you to Lake Louise without needing to drive or park.
🥾 Can families with young children visit Takakkaw Falls? Yes - the flat, accessible trail welcomes strollers and wheelchairs, making it one of the easiest big experiences in the Rockies.
🏰 Is the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel worth the high price tag? For history, scenery, spa, and dining all under one roof, most visitors say yes.
This historic lodge sits alone on Bow Lake. Once the tour buses leave, it is just you, the water, the mountains and the glaciers.
🏕️ Quiz
Which of these popular recreation areas bordering Banff is not a national park?
Yesterday’s Question: Which lake is shown in this photo, a popular picnic spot near Banff with views of Mount Rundle?
✅Answer: 1) Two Jack Lake - 54% Correct
Two Jack Lake is a favourite picnic spot near Banff with classic Mount Rundle views. While you’re in the area, it’s also worth checking out Lake Minnewanka.
🎸Events, Activities & Live Music
📅 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
Friday, August 28
17:00 | Rooftop Sessions | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff
18:00 | Hannah Avery: Live | Wild Life Distillery | Canmore
18:00 | Matt Beatty | Rose and Crown Canmore | Canmore
18:00 | Sunset Festival @ Banff Gondola | Banff Gondola | Banff
19:30 | Balkan Greek Dinner Show | Balkan Restaurant | Banff
19:30 | Michaela Slinger & Amelie Patterson | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore
19:30 | OH, ANNE! | Canmore Collegiate High School | Canmore
19:30 | Jasper Historical Tour | Jasper Town | Jasper
21:00 | Jam Night | The Stand Easy | Jasper
21:00 | Brett Down | Tavern 1883 | Canmore
22:00 | New Originals | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff
22:00 | Matt Beatty | The Drake | Canmore
22:00 | Jamie Allanach | Rose and Crown Canmore | Canmore
📅 Got An Event To Share?
📅 👉 Submit Here (3 days before the event date) for a FREE LISTING
👋 That’s All For Now 🎬
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 | What’s On Banff

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


