Banff SnowDays Festival: What You Need to Know
While summer may be the most popular time to visit the Canadian Rockies, those willing to brave the temps will be rewarded with a winter wonderland. Whether you want to get active, cozy up next to a fire in a historic cabin, or both, you’re certain to have a great trip.
Every winter the town and park embrace winter weather with its annual SnowDays festival. It’s a unique winter experience that even seasoned winter travelers will learn to love. Sculptors have a friendly competition to craft incredible works of art from snow throughout town.
Alberta is cowboy country, and naturally, you can put on a show without them, which happens right on Banff Ave. Afterward, cozy up in one of Banff’s tantalizing restaurants and wake up the next day to enjoy some amazing winter activities.
When is SnowDays?
SnowDays in Banff usually occurs in the last few weeks of January. In 2025, It ran from January 17th to February 2nd, with different events happening on various days. Keep an eye out for 2026 dates as they will be similar.
SnowDays Events to Get Excited About
While the famous Skijoring on Banff Avenue is a major SnowDays highlight, there are still so many events to mark in your calendar! Besides Ice Magic, all SnowDays events are completely free to enjoy.
Skijoring
An amazing skijoring event occurs on Banff Avenue. What is skijoring, you ask? This is when Skijor Canada’s teams of skilled skiers and snowboarders, horses, and equestrians dazzle the audiences with their winter horse-riding, trick-riding, and ski stunts. Watch a horse and rider pull a skier or snowboarder behind them as they tackle giant jumps.
However, it’s not just about the horses and riders – oh no – this event is all about the cowboy fashion. So dress in your favorite fur jacket and chaps and make your way to Banff Avenue.
Ice Magic
Ice Magic is where ice comes alive in the form of art and architectural design, and takes place at Lake Louise. During this time, you can watch artists from around the world carve different frozen figures beneath the beautiful backdrop of Mount Victoria.
While it used to be free for all to visit the ice carving events and wander around, you’ll now need tickets to join in the fun; these are available starting in December for guests of specific hotels only.
In 2025, those hotels included Baker Creek by Basecamp, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Lake Louise Inn, The Moxy, the Royal Canadian, Canalta Lodge, Mountaineer Lodge, and many more. 2026 guidelines have yet to be determined.
Snow Sculptures
Throughout the whole SnowDays festival, you can view beautiful snow sculptures from some of the world’s best carvers. There are plenty of sculptures to enjoy down Bear Street and Central Park, and you can even vote for your favorite!
SnowNights
Just because the sun has set doesn’t mean you must retreat to your room. SnowNights involves numerous nighttime activities, like Banff Nightrise on the Banff Gondola, Après at the Castle (at the Banff Springs), evening sleigh rides, or an evening ice walk at Johnston Canyon!
Play Zone
Right in Central Park is a fun area for families to enjoy curling, cornhole, hockey, and other Canadian games.
Weekend of Wonder
Head down Bear Street for a mix of events for the whole family. Kids can meet sled dogs and might even catch a glimpse of a snow fairy or two. At night, there are also fun events like bingo and line sanding.
Other Things to Do Around SnowDays
Ice Climb
Banff National Park draws in many ice climbers with many routes and mixed winter climbs. You don’t have to be a seasoned ice climber to enjoy the sport either. Alpine Air runs beginner ice climbs and will show you the basics and provide all the gear for climbing at some of the best spots. We enjoyed our intro to ice climbing at the Junkyards in Canmore, but other popular spots include Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise Falls, and Grotto Canyon.
Ice Skate
One of the most beautiful places to ice skate in the world is right in the heart of Banff National Park. Head to Lake Louise and skate on a well-managed ice rink between December and April. The Chateau Lake Louise does a fantastic job managing an ice rink right on Lake Louise. This means both pros and new ice skaters can enjoy this activity while skating right under Mount Victoria. You can rent ice skates either at Wilson Sports or at the Fairmont.
Ski/Snowboard
There is arguably no ski resort in the world with a better view than the Lake Louise Ski Resort. The resort has ample natural scenery in Canada’s oldest and first national park. There is something for everyone here, with terrain on the front and on the larch side that is well suited to those new to the sport. Meanwhile, almost the entire backside of Lake Louise is beautiful freeride terrain!
Banff Gondola
The Banff Gondola allows visitors to ride to the summit station in gondola cabins with large windows that will enable 360-degree views from the base. A ride to the top takes eight minutes and climbs to 2281 meters (7486 ft) above sea level.
You climb 698 meters very quickly, and when you reach the top, you are on Sulphur Mountain. Once at the top, you can enjoy dinner at the Sky Bistro (reservations recommended), an indoor coffee shop, an interactive learning center, and the fantastic boardwalk, allowing excellent viewing.
It’s a fun wintertime activity for the whole family, and if you head up before sunset, you can catch Blue Hour on the Banff Gondola and then stick around for Nightrise.
Nordic Ski
Parks Canada manages several cross-country ski trails where you can take in the views from a pair of nordic skis. Trails are rated by difficulty, so even if you have never tried the sport before, you can find a trail appropriate for your skillset.
The Moraine Lake Road Trail, Tramline Trail, and the Cascade Fire Road are some of the most popular trails, but there are plenty to enjoy around Banff. You can find rentals in Lake Louise or in Banff.
Soak in the Banff Hot Springs
It may be cold outside, but there are plenty of ways to warm up in Banff! In fact, just outside of Downtown Banff, near the Banff Gondola, lies the Banff Upper Hot Springs, which are historic hot springs in Canada. These hot springs make for one of the best places to relax those stiff muscles after a ski day or adventure out in the cold! Make sure to pack a bathing suit on your trip!
Dining Options
Castello
Castello is a fine-dining Italian restaurant in Banff Springs. This intimate setting is perfect for special occasions, so making a reservation is best. They serve delicious Italian classics like Veal Parmigian and Lobster Carbanora.
Good Folk
Good Folk is one of Banff’s newest restaurants in the new Otter Hotel. It offers an intimate and cozy setting and scrumptious offerings like the Local Rainbow Trout and Alberta Wild Boar Chop.
Hello Sunshine
Hello Sunshine is a retro restaurant with a funky interior, a karaoke bar that only gives off positive vibes, and even better Asian fusion cuisine. It’s a groovy place with a sushi bar and modern bar food like Duck Tataki and Miso Aged Shortrib. Make sure to check out their amazing sushi and ramen happy hour deals!
Stay Overnight in Banff!
The Otter Hotel
The brand new Otter Hotel is a fantastic choice for travelers looking for a modern and comfortable stay away from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Banff. Bonus that they have an amazing rooftop hot tub!
The Rimrock
Is a super great pet-friendly option in Banff. It’s close to Sulphur Mountain and the Banff Hot Springs. It’s one of the most popular places to stay in Banff, so book it in advance.
Plan Your Trip to the Canadian Rockies
- Recommended Experiences: There are many things to do in the Rockies, but our top recommendation is the Banff Gondola – a must do experience! If you want to get active, consider snowshoeing on top of the world. Lastly, enjoy nighttime in Banff on this Sunset and Stars Tour!
- Want an all in one tour? Pursuit is running this special Winter Wonder tour on weekends!
- Transport in the winter: If you don’t want to drive to Banff in the winter, we totally get it. To avoid this book with the Banff Airporter.
- Hotels in the Rockies: There are many places to stay, from luxury hotels to wilderness cabins. See all our favorites here.
- Get Around: We suggest renting a car to get around. You can search for rental cars on Rentalcars.com. For a campervan trip, you can check prices and compare on Outdoorsy.
- We can help you plan your 2025 trip to Western Canada! If you’re feeling overwhelmed by planning we can assist! We’ll personally go over your itinerary, hop on a 1 on 1 phone call, or create a bespoke itinerary just for you! See our services here.
