Are you planning a visit to the Banff SnowDays Festival?
You’ve come to the right place. As someone who has travelled from BC to Alberta multiple times to visit this festival, I’ve got all the inside tips and tricks on how to make the most out of this unique Canadian celebration of the winter season. From the thrilling excitement of watching the skijoring events to seeking out the artistic snow sculptures, and from world-class views on top of the Banff Gondola looking out over the snowy mountain ranges, Banff is magical during the winter, and SnowDays is the perfect time to visit.
I’ve gone a few times, both with the kids and with my girlfriends, each giving a different experience to exploring Banff during the winter festival. So let’s dig in to get you everything you need to know to plan your epic adventure to the SnowDays Festival in Banff.
Disclaimer: While I share my own thoughts and stories about these experiences, should you click on the affiliate links, I may receive a small commission on that sale, which helps fund Adventure Awaits.
Banff Snow Days Festival History & Evolution
For centuries, Banff National Park has been bringing residents and visitors together to celebrate Winter in the Canadian Rockies. In 1917, a group of businessmen sought to formalize the event and created the first official Banff Winter Carnival that same year. The goal was to celebrate winter recreation with events including ski races, skijoring, snowshoe obstacle courses, and dog races. The event also came with other winter festivities, including masquerade balls, swimming races, ice sculptures, and my personal favourite, beard-growing contests!
Now known as Banff SnowDays, the spirit of celebration continues, although many of the events look a little different than they did in those early days. In 2026, you can expect to see fun events including skijoring, snow sculpture competitions, SnowDays Play Zone, and more.
When is the Banff Snow Days Festival In 2026?
SnowDays Festival in Banff takes place for approximately 10 days between January 16th and 26th.
Banff Snow Days Schedule
Final dates and schedules for the 2026 Banff Snow Days Festival are still being confirmed, so the best place to get up-to-date planning information is on Tourism Banff Lake Louise’s website. We anticipate knowing more early summer and will keep this article updated once we have schedules available.
Where does SnowDays take Place?
SnowDays in Banff takes place in the heart of downtown Banff, in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada, with the main events happening on or around Main Street and Wolf Avenue. Many of the events take place around the downtown core, all within walking distance. Some of the other events, such as Ice Magic, take place on the frozen Lake Louise, which is a 45-minute drive from downtown Banff.
When Are The Main Events At Banff Snow Days Festival 2026?
Skijoring
After hearing about skijoring (the sport where a rider on a horse pulls a slider who performs acrobatic stunts as they get pulled through town), we knew we had to go. So we planned a girls’ trip to Banff and centered our whole trip around being front row for the big event, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!
From the incredible athleticism of the riders, sliders, and horses, to the skijor fashion of the visitors, to the big music and fun vibes, this was a festival experience unlike any other. I loved it so much I wrote a whole article to help ensure you can have the best experience watching skijoring.
Dates: TBD
Cost: Free
Traveller Tip: Dress warm so you can stay for the whole event and not miss any of the action! Layers are key!
Banff Snow Sculptures
Sculptors from around the world come to compete in the Banff Snow Sculpture competition that happens during the Banff Winter Festival. For 5 days, sculptors use chainsaws and carving tools to transform gigantic blocks of snow into beautiful artistic masterpieces. Standing below the sculptures, you feel so small, and it’s hard to comprehend how they have crafted something so beautiful in such a short period of time! We love the fact that the sculptures in Banff are placed throughout town, and you’re encouraged to grab a warm drink and stroll through the streets looking for the sculptures.
Dates: TBD
Cost: Free
Traveller Tip: Going to see the sculptures can be done day or night, as they are lit up at night.
SnowDays Play Zone
The Banff SnowDays Play Zone is where families can go and take part in all sorts of winter adventures with the kids. From tubing to fat biking, hockey shots, curling, and classic winter games, this zone is designed for the littlest visitor with the goal of having them play their hearts out in the white winter wonderland.
Dates: TBD
Cost: Free
Parenting Hack: Fill out your waiver before you go so that you can enter the zone quickly.
Snow Nights
Banff SnowDays celebrations go on into the nights, and are comprised of a variety of experiences for all types of adventure seekers. For those looking to experience Banff after dark, they have tours including Evening Ice Walk at Johnston Canyon, Nightrise (a MUST in my opinion) at Banff Gondola, evening horse-drawn sleigh rides, night skiing, and tubing.
For the foodies – Snow Nights are for you, as the world-class food scene is on full display during these evenings. From apres at the Castle (Fairmont Banff Springs) to three-course meals at a variety of restaurants and even a ribfest special event, you’ll eat well during your stay in Banff.
For those looking to slow down and move at a more winter hibernation pace, check out the evening spa escape at Red Earth Spa or Meadow Spa and Pools.
What I love the most about Snow Nights is the atmosphere that is added to the streets. With street performances, a bustling vibe, and bars and restaurants full of people, it takes the Banff Snow Days Festival feeling through the walls and out into the streets.
Dates: TBD
Costs: Vary based on experience
Weekend of Wonder
If you’re visiting Banff with the family, be sure to schedule your stay around the Weekend of Wonder. Specifically designed with kids in mind, Bear Street is host to family-centered activities including crafts, “wild science” workshops, as well as street performers. Kids can try ice carving with the Little Chippers program.
You’ll also get to take in the other festivities of the Banff Snow Days Festival, including the ice carvings and snow sculptures.
After dark, it’s all about the 18+ crowd where you can take part in cabaret, bingo, and my personal favourite, line dancing!
2026 dates: TBD
Ice Magic At Lake Louise
If Elsa were an event planner, you would think that she created the festival. On the shores of Lake Louise, ice sculptors use what only I can think of is artistic magic to craft the most intricate and what appear to be delicate sculptures. The magical element that gives “Ice Magic” its name is the custom Ice Castle that sits out in the middle of Lake Louise.
Surrounded by a skating rink, guests are encouraged to bring their skates and skate around the castle. It’s a picture-perfect, Canadiana experience unlike any other.
Dates: The Ice Magic Festival itself normally takes place after Banff SnowDays, but some of the creations start making their appearance (like the ice castle) during the Banff Winter Festival.
Traveller Tip: Parking and access to Lake Louise are monitored and tickets may be required, so be sure to check out the Banff & Lake Louise Tourism website and plan accordingly. Also note: The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is only open to guests, so I would recommend that if you can book a night there for a stay, definitely do it (it’s a bucket list adventure and swoon-worthy). If not, be sure to take a bus to and from Banff to experience Ice Magic.
Book your stay at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise here!
Bear Street Hub
A center for live entertainment, be sure to check out Bear Street Hub during the Banff Snow Days Festival. Festival coordinators bring in professional entertainers from across Alberta, including DJs and musicians, circus acts, street performances, and ice carving demonstrations, creating a plethora of Banff shows. Walking through the Bear Street Hub with my kids was one of our favourite memories of the Banff Snow Days Festival, as you got to feel the combination of winter spirit along with big energy.
Winter Adventures To Explore In Banff
Whether you’re visiting Banff for the first time or you’re like me and love going again and again, one thing is for sure: there’s a plethora of adventure that awaits in Banff. I always leave with a perfect balance of “That was amazing” and “I can’t wait to go back and do ____ (insert long list of things waiting for me to explore!).
So I recommend that you wholeheartedly embrace the winter mantra in Banff. The outdoors are calling, and take part in as many winter experiences as you can. Here are just some of them to get you inspired:
Tubing At Mt. Norquay
If you love the thrill of adrenaline combined with the speed of the slopes, head on up to Mt. Norquay for some great tubing in Banff. No need to act like an adult here, let your inner child scream as the wind hits your cheeks and you fly down the slopes! No, seriously, it’s really that much fun!
Ice Skating at Lake Louise
My girlfriends and I recently visited Lake Louise and got to go skating on what I think is Canada’s prettiest ice rink! My favorite part about skating on Lake Louise was hearing my friends “ohhhh” and “ahhhh” as they skated around, saying things like, “I can’t believe this is real” and “Are we skating in a postcard?”
A magical setting, it is worth the day trip out to Lake Louise to go skating on the rink. I recommend that you go eco-friendly and take the ROAM bus (reservations recommended during peak times). Take some snacks and walk around the lake to get a unique view of the hotel and the surrounding area, and then head back to the lake for some classic Canadian skating.
Guided Snowshoeing Tour
On my “Banff Winter Bucket List” is doing a guided snowshoe tour. With so many incredible trails leading to beautiful scenic views, I’d love to meet up with a local guide who can expertly take us to the most beautiful snowshoe trails in Banff. If you beat me to it, be sure to send me your recommendations and photos!
Guided Fat Bike Tour
If you’ve never ridden an electric fat bike, now is your time. An easy way to traverse over the snow, fat biking in Banff is a fun, active, and beautiful way to navigate winter trails and see Banff from a whole new perspective. My favourite place for tours is with Clare from Bikescape as it’s a female-owned and local small business… and they know all the best spots to take you and scenic spots for photos!
Skiing and Snowboarding
With three amazing resorts to choose from, if you’re a skier or a snowboarder (or want to take lessons and learn), Banff is the place for you. I’ve snowboarded both Banff Sunshine Village and Lake Louise and can rave about each of these places. I have yet to explore Mt. Norquay Ski Resort, but it comes well recommended. It’ll depend on your time, your goals, and where you’re staying, but if you can and are keen on getting in lots of laps, I’d say do a day at each like we did!
Sleigh Rides in Banff
I can only imagine how picture-perfect a Canadiana sleigh ride in Banff would be… meaning yes, it’s on my “next time I’m in Banff” list. With beautiful horses, a traditional red sleigh, set on the snowy background of mountains, lakes, and winding trails, well, your sleigh ride could be the next postcard for Tourism Banff themselves!
Banff SnowDays Festival FAQs
What to Wear to Banff SnowDays
The Canadian cold can be just that… COLD! On both of our visits to Banff, it was -20°C or cooler, so proper clothing is essential for your safety and to ensure you can enjoy your time in the Rockies. The trick is layering up. Here are the essentials I’d recommend:
- Base layers – high-quality base layers
- Heated Socks
- Fleece Layer
- Heated Vests
- Puffy Jacket
- Winter Pants
- Winter Jacket
- Heated gloves
- Ear covers
- Hat
- External Waterproof Jacket
Do I need Tickets for Banff SnowDays Festival?
The festival takes place throughout the town of Banff, with many of the attractions, such as the sculptures, being free for visitors to view. There are some ticketed events, such as the special offerings during Snow Nights, as well as excursions you can invest in, or, for example, if you want to go skiing or boarding. For that reason, there is no one ticket that is needed for the festival, rather you can book experiences one by one, in a “choose your own” festival adventure style.
From The Archives
Here are a few more photos of past celebrations showing the history of this event, as well as seeing how the Banff Snow Days Festival has transformed over the years.
In conclusion, I hope I have inspired you to think about the Banff Snow Days Festival as a winter holiday for 2026. A perfect combination of adventure, celebration, and Canadiana, all wrapped up into one of our most beautiful mountain towns, makes Banff the perfect destination for your holidays.
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Is this a sponsored post?: Yes, however all our thoughts, opinions and views of our experience are our own.
