Banff 
The activities and experiences in Banff National Park don’t slow down after the holidays. The celebrations continue through January: celebrations for everything winter, snow, and fun in the Rockies.
Credit: Canadian Tourism Commission
The Banff Snow Days festival kicks off this Friday with events centred around the best of winter. It is a great way to break up an often-dull month with ideas for date nights, family outings, or time with friends.
There will be activities in Banff from January 16 to February 8 which celebrate the best of the park and town. The best of Banff can include the wildlife, the skiing and snowboarding, the dining, the scenery and views, or other events you might not think of, like skijoring or snow sculpting.
There will be several things to see and do for Banff Snow Days 2026, and here are the top ways to make the best of the festival:
- Spectate Skijoring: There are few chances to catch a live skijoring competition. Banff SnowDays offer the opportunity to catch the winter sport live when athletes and horses from Skijor Canada showcase their skills. First, what is skijoring? The sport involves a skier being pulled across the snow by a horse. It is a spectacle to see, combining horseback riding with skiing and ski stunts and tricks! Jan. 17 – 18, 2026, on Banff Avenue.
Credit: Devaan Ingraham / Banff Lake Louise Tourism
- Snow Sculptures: Snow Sculptures will decorate Banff for the festival, with live carving events. So, if you visit Banff Snow Days during the first week, you can witness the giant snow cubes transform into beautiful sculptures at the hands of the carvers. If you visit Snow Days towards the middle or end of the festival, take a walk to enjoy the completed works of art. Evening walks are best for this, as the sculptures will be illuminated. A walk through this adorable mountain village would not be complete without a warm, delicious drink. Add warmth to your walk with a stop at Evelyn’s Coffee Bar, Coffee by Wildflower Bakery, or the Buffalo Mountain Café.
- Weekend of Wonder: The Weekend of Wonder on Bear Street promises family-friendly fun with crafts, science workshops, performers, and live ice carving. Kids can try ice carving with Little Chippers, meet sled dogs, and enjoy games and a photo booth. Extend the excitement at the SnowDays Play Zone in Central Park, featuring fat biking, snow sculptures, and engaging entertainment for all ages in a winter wonderland setting. January 22 – 25, 2026 @ Bear Street
- Kids’ Activities: The Banff SnowDays Play Zone is conveniently in the middle of the town but allows for plenty of ways for kids to have outdoor fun. While in the heart of downtown Banff, families can participate in snow tubing, sledding, and curling, and the Play Zone is where you can get outdoor activity rentals. This is a chance for everyone to try fat tire biking, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing.
- Go for a Thrilling Ride: See the beauty of Banff in a whole new light this January with the festival’s featured dog sledding tours. The exhilarating experiences are offered by Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours in Kananaskis and by Kingmik Dog Sled Tours in Lake Louise. Pick your scenery and allow the pro guides and their pack of sled dogs to take you on a unique yet memorable ride through the Rockies.
- TRIBUTE Banff turns Bear Street into an open-air tasting destination during SnowDays Festival. Over two days, local distilleries and restaurants share food and craft spirits, paired with live music, fire pits, and an alpine setting that highlights Banff’s culinary community.
- Skating & Skiing: Banff is a popular destination for downhill skiing and snowboarding. Sunshine, Norquay, and Lake Louise are some of the most scenic places in Canada to enjoy sports, too! However, you may also use Banff SnowDays to explore other recreational opportunities around the mountain park. The pristine lakes in the park, like Louise, are usually (please check ice conditions before any skating) well past frozen by January and create a magical place to wander and enjoy the scenery. In addition to skating, Banff has an extensive system of groomed cross-country ski trails.
- Guided Ice Walk and Snowshoe Tour: Explore the frozen waterways of Johnston and Grotto Canyons on an ice walk led by a certified guide. Equipped with crampons, traverse rocky gorges carved by rushing waters over millennia. Admire towering ice pillars and marvel at nature’s icy transformations, experiencing areas accessible only in winter. A guided snowshoeing tour offers a chance to explore pristine winter landscapes while learning about the wildlife through tracks etched in the snow. Guided by expert insights, participants traverse snowy terrain with ease, experience the timeless tradition of snowshoeing, and discover the hidden world of small creatures amid the shifting winter canvas.
Best of 2026 Winter Festivals in Alberta
- Banff Gondola Experiences: Banff’s Gondola is one of the best ways to take in mountain-top views of the valley, and for many reasons. The gondola offers accessible yet breathtaking views, along with several add-on experiences to enjoy during Snow Days. These include the standard rides up Sulphur Mountain and the Nightrise Experience.
Credit: Banff Gondola
- Ice Magic Festival: Immerse yourself in the enchanting ice sculptures at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, where the world’s finest ice carvers return for a mesmerizing competition. The shores of Lake Louise transform into a dazzling gallery of ice sculptures illuminated under the winter sky. You can witness the artist skillfully shape frozen masterpieces during the competition. Art of Ice brings winter creativity to Banff as 12 world-class carvers transform Bear Street into an outdoor gallery from February 6 to 8. Watch detailed sculptures take shape, high-energy Ice Battles unfold, and speed carving tests push artists against the clock
