Banff
After 2019’s polar vortex, it seems spring can’t come soon enough! Here are just a few ways to celebrate spring in Alberta.
From yoga and food festivals and rodeos to a trip on a train to hunt for Easter eggs, here are 50 adventures during spring in Alberta.
Whether you need ideas for weekend getaways, a day trip with your sweetheart or with your family, you might find something in this list of 50 Things to do During Spring in Alberta.
- Alberta Metis Fest: Celebrate the first weekend of Spring with a trip to the province-wide Alberta Métis Fest. Go for the jigging and fiddling, stay for the stew and bannock. Each region will have its own unique flavour and feel, but all events will feature live bands, jam sessions, free stew and bannock, and jigging contests with cash prizes up to $500.
- Spring Slush Cups: Sun’s out and snow’s melting! Say goodbye to skiing season with spring slush cups at ski hills across the province. They all have their unique twist on this slushy spring tradition.
- The Great Canadian Sugar Rush: From family fun activities throughout the weekend to exploring the Kananaskis Valley with Kananaskis Outfitters, Mountains of Maple fun are waiting.
- Canmore Uncorked Food & Drink Festival: It’s Canmore’s most anticipated fine dining experience! Try out the best flavours and initiatives in food and drink from the area’s top chefs.
- Calgary International Beerfest: This May, Canada’s largest beer festival brings together beer from around the world. More than just the 700+ varieties available, check out seminars, distillery news, and more.
- Orchid Fair – Orchid Society of Alberta – St Albert: Celebrating the hobby of orchid growing for 40+ years, Orchid Fair has become the largest of its kind in Canada. The Orchid Fair has something for every enthusiast, from beginner plants to the rare and exotic.
- Victoria Day Weekend Pancake Breakfast – Markerville: Visit Markerville Creamery built in 1902 by the Tindastoll Butter & Cheese Manufacturing Association, for their annual Victoria Day weekend Pancake Festival. The Historic award winning creamery opens on May 11 for 2019. So get to this hidden gem for tour luncheons and many special events including Icelandic National Day celebration on June 15.
- Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, Lamont County: Explore a living museum with costumed interpreters portraying the lives of pioneers. It opens for the season in May – don’t miss the Celebration of Spring on May 20!
- Shake The Lake Party – Lake Louise Ski Resort: What better way to welcome spring than with a party in the mountains? Last chance for spring skiing, combined with live music and pond skimming (for the brave). – April 27, 2019
- The University of Alberta Botanic Gardens, Parkland County: Ninety-seven hectares of cultivated gardens, natural sites, and unique species of plants make this an award-winning destination. Don’t miss the 2019 season when they open in May.
- Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market: With over 130 local vendors, Old Strathcona is both a destination farmers market and a weekly stop. Come by for fresh flowers and produce that mean it’s spring. 10310 83 Avenue NW Edmonton.
- The Bunny Bonspiel – Crowsnest Pass: The Bunny Bonspiel is a southern Alberta Easter tradition! The community of Crowsnest Pass takes pride in hosting the Bunny Bonspiel since 1947. It is one of the longest-running curling bonspiels in Alberta! Plan on joining on April 18 – 21, 2019, to curl or to watch.
- Curated – Vegan Dinner Series – Calgary: PLANTED is a dinner series curated by WinSport executive chef Liana Robberecht to celebrate and push the limits of vegan and vegetarian cuisine.
- Annual Snow Goose Chase – Town of Toefild: What’s one of the biggest sign of approaching spring? Robins, geese, swans…the list goes on. The good thing is Alberta is on the path of many migrating birds. Witness for yourself the annual migration of Snow Geese, Sandhill Cranes, hawks, waterfowl and songbirds.Local experts share their passion and knowledge about Alberta’s diverse habitats and living things. Tentative Date: April 27, 2019. You can visit Beaverhill Lake area on your own, anytime.
- Songbird Festival – Lesser Slave Lake: The Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory’s Songbird Festival is an annual celebration of spring migration happening on May 25 & 26, 2019. The Songbird Festival is a fun and educational weekend for both families and birders alike.
- Banff Yoga Festival: Where else can you combine meditation and adventure in the Rocky Mountain spring air? The 3-day festival includes yoga workshops, outdoor adventures, and meeting new friends.
Banff Yoga Festival
- Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden – Lethbridge: This Japanese garden, opening for the season in May, will remind you just how peaceful and relaxing nature can be. Canadian and Japanese traditions combine among the plants and architecture.
- Spring Hiking: Now that you don’t have to bundle up in as many layers, enjoy that sunshine on a spring hike. Search for signs of spring, including new shoots and fresh buds popping up.
- Asparagus Festival – Red Deer County: Visit a real working asparagus farm, experience first-hand asparagus story on a fully narrated fun wagon ride to the field and watch harvesting in action. Lots of opportunities to savour freshly picked delicious asparagus at Edgar Farms.
- Beginning of Golf Season: Golf courses around the province are beginning to open their doors for your next round. Plus, the spring season often has cheaper prices to take advantage of!
- Jasper Pride Festival: This April is the 10th Annual Jasper Pride Festival! There is so much going on – from concerts to pride beer – you’ll have a blast joining the “proud and free.”
- Muttart Conservatory – Edmonton: Just can’t wait any longer to see some flowers? The pyramids in the Muttart have what you’re looking for. And check out the feature pyramid for a fairy tale world. Hurry, the conservatory closes for 18 months in July 2019.
- 2019 World Men’s Curling Championship – Enmax Centre, Lethbridge: From March 30-April 7, watch the country’s top men’s curlers take to the ice to see who will come out on top. How much more Canadian can you get?
- Mother’s Day Meditation – Canmore Cave Tours: Discover the healing benefits of time in nature, enjoy the hike up with the stunning vista over the valley, and discover pure stillness in the depths of the rats nest cave during a candlelit meditation lead by Modern + Mindful inside the Rat’s Nest Cave.
- George Pegg Botanic Garden – Lac Ste Anne County: This site was the homestead of George Pegg, a nature enthusiast whose painstaking and philanthropic research helped to identify more than 100 species of plants and birds in Alberta. The site opens for the season in June.
- Jurassic Forest – Near Gibbons: Take a walk on the dino side! You don’t need to travel back in time for a prehistoric adventure for the whole family – just head to Jurassic Forest.
- Easter Egg Hunt – Forestburg: Easter is in April this year, which means it’s nice enough for outdoor Easter egg hunts! From big cities to small towns, you can find outdoor hunts around the province. For an epic trip, visit Battle River Rail in Forestburg. Take a trip on the Bunny Express will from Forestburg to Galahad.
- Edmonton Poetry Festival: From slam to lyrical poets, from schoolchildren to seniors, the Festival celebrates poetry and spoken word in April. Check out events big and small across Edmonton to discover local talent.
- Banff Upper Hot Springs: Canada’s highest operating hot springs are a must-see. And spring is the perfect time, since the air is not too hot and not too cold when you take a dip.
- Thomas Train – Heritage Park, Calgary: Take your toddler for a Day Out With Thomas. Take a ride (20 minute) with their favorite tank engine!
- Rockies from up above: Snow is melting at home, but check out ice you can see, from high above the ground. Venture out onto the clear path for the view to surround you.
- Red Rock Canyon Parkway – Waterton Lakes: Budding greenery is the perfect backdrop to the bright red rocks of the canyon, with hiking trails taking you up close. See why it’s where the mountains meet the prairies.
- Ellis Bird Farm – Lacombe: Take a leisurely stroll along the trails enjoying beautiful gardens, butterfly gardens, orchards, hummingbird gardens and water gardens. Ellis Bird farm is a non profit organization devoted to the conservation of Mountain Bluebirds, Tree Swallows and other native cavity-nesting birds.
- Little Britches Weekend – Town of High River: Round up your cow pokes and come-on-down to enjoy one of Canada’s most unique rodeos, plus a jam-packed roster of events including the 61st Annual Little Britches parade. The Little Britches rodeo is one of the main attractions, where kids can practice their cowboy moves in challenges such as calf roping, sheep riding and barrel busting.
- Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park: Did you know that you can find wild orchids in the park? Visit the park around mid – June, and you may spot one of the fourteen orchid species in bloom.
- Leduc Black Gold Pro Rodeo: Visit Leduc Recreation Centre as we celebrate our western roots with one of the best events Leduc and area has to offer. Don’t miss four days of Pro Rodeo excitement, Black Gold Trade Fair, midway rides and games, pancake breakfasts, Saturday parade, Cabaret and plenty of activities for the whole family!
- Grande Prairie Stompede: Experience 5 days of Rodeo excitement from May 29 to June 2! Be witness to features such as all Pro Canadian Chuckwagons, Western Chuckwagon Association wagons, followed by mini chucks, and then the World Professional Chuckwagon Association.
- Waterfall Hunting: Spring is the best time to enjoy the sights and sounds of waterfalls due the massive snowmelt. Alberta has so many wonderful waterfalls worthy of a trip.
Photo Credit: Darren Kirby/Flickr
- Rosebud Theatre – Drumheller: The musical and theatrical productions at Rosebud Theatre are widely-acclaimed, attracting thousands of people annually to this community of less than 100 people. This spring, join for the production of Bright Star, where literary editor Alice Murphy meets aspiring writer Billy Cane, a young soldier back from WWII in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
- Legacy Park Family Festival – Fort Saskatchewan: The sheep of Fort Saskatchewan have been delighting visitors and keeping the grass trim in City parks for 26 years. The Sheep will return to the parks during the Legacy Park Family Festival on Saturday, June 1, 2019.
- Cochon555 – Banff: Imagine an elaborate 40-course, stand-up dinner featuring wine, craft beer and spirits, where you pick the best bite from top local chefs. Cochon555 and Banff & Lake Louise Tourism invite ticket holders to feast on heritage-breed pork and more local culinary creations during an elaborate three-hour dining experience.
- The Bison Festival: Join Parks Canada on Saturday, June 1, 2019, to commemorate this bison conservation through the themes of conservation, culture, cuisine, and discovering the importance of bison in Canada.
- Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site – East Coulee: Go underground at this Alberta coal mining museum. Ride the narrow gauge train. Hear a ghost story in one of the haunted places. The site reopens for the season on May 11.
- Bike Highway 40: Ride through glorious Kananaskis Country! Starting from Longview, you will be passing through some of the best provincial Parks in Alberta (plenty of rest stops, campgrounds) and the highest paved pass in Canada- located at the tree line. If you bike before mid June, Highway 40 South of 742 is closed to traffic — you can have the time of your life riding the trail and have great workout!
- Dial-a-Lawyer: Looking to get some free legal advice? Dial-a-Lawyer offers the public free 15-20 minute legal consultations over the phone. on Saturday, April 13, 2019.
- Annual Fiddlers’ Jamboree – Grande Prairie: Spectators of all ages can enjoy an afternoon of traditional and modern fiddling and dancing. This year is the 32nd annual Fiddlers’ Jamboree held in Grande Prairie.
- Senior’s Week: June 2-8, 2019 is Seniors’ Week in Alberta. Join for various celebrations for seniors. Last year (2018), the province declared free admission to Alberta’s Historic Sites, Museums for Seniors’ Week. So keep an eye out for this year’s freebies.
- Wingapalooza – Medicine Hat: Enjoy finger licking good wings from local restaurants and chefs on June 8 at Canalta Centre.
- 1913 Days – Sylvan lake: Celebrate the 106th birthday of this picturesque resort town. There will be lots of exciting things to enjoy such as a parade, drive in movie, a street festival and much more!
- Waterton Wildflower Festival: Get ready to welcome summer with a trip to Waterton Lake Provincial Park. The spectacular setting of Waterton Lakes National Park is home to more than 1,000 vascular plant species including half of all wildflower species found in Alberta. Of those, 175 species are listed as rare in Alberta and 20 are only found in Waterton.