Join us for another exciting Canada Day in Banff!
As we celebrate Canada’s rich heritage, we invite you to explore the activities and performances happening all over our beautiful downtown core. From family-friendly entertainment, to engaging arts & crafts, to amazing musical acts, we have something for everyone.
Everything kicks off at 11 a.m. with the opening ceremonies at the Central Park main stage. There will be a full day of musical acts and other surprises. Check out vendors and artisans at the Canada Day Market and don’t forget to visit Parks Canada at Museum Corner for some amazing arts and crafts and puppetry shows teaching all about Banff National Park wildlife.
Make your way along the Banff Avenue Pedestrian Zone to see marching bands and dance troupes at our Performance Zone, starting at 11:30 a.m. This year we'll have an Art Lane, in collaboration with the Whyte Museum, where artist will create chalk art and paintings. Then, head over to the High School Family Fun Zone for a variety of classic Canadian summer activities and some new ones, too.
Need a break from the crowds? Grab a seat at the Bear’s Den cooling zone, where you can listen to our selection of talented local musicians and storytellers.
During the evening, we have great performances lined up at the Central Park main dtage from 6 to 9 p.m. Stay tune for the line-up announcement, coming soon!
We also invite you to join the Community Cruisers for the Bike Parade. All non-motorized wheeled transports are welcome, such as skateboards, scooters and in-line skates. At 10:30 a.m., meet at the Protection Mountain Shelter to start decorating your ride. The parade will start at 11:30 a.m. for a fun, slow group ride until 12 p.m., finishing at the Banff Avenue Performance Zone, where Mayor Corrie DiManno will award a prize for the best decorated ride. Stay tune for a registration link and more information on how to join.
Schedule:
- Central Park Main Stage: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Evening program from 6 – 9 p.m.)
- Banff Avenue Performance Zone: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- Whyte Museum Art Lane : 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- High School Family Fun Zone: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Bear’s Den Cooling Area: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Central Park
The Central Park main stage show from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. will feature an eclectic mix of Indigenous performances, blues and rock, folky party music and several surprises, all featuring local and regional artist, including: Charlie B & Swanee, Wendy Walker & The Tribe, the Local Strays, Eclipse Wave, the Ramblin’ Hey Ho Ha’s, and Lori Reid & Heather Jean Jordan.
Headliners for the main stage this year include: The Static Shift, JG n’ the District and Punch Buggy. All Alberta-based performers will present a mix of upbeat rock/pop/dance shows fitting of the nation’s birthday, from 6 to 9 p.m. from the Gazebo in Banff’s Central Park, hosted by Bow Valley’s favourite MC Rob Murray.
Wheelers Parade
The Community Cruisers are hosting the parade of people-powered wheeled transportation, starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Protection Shelter in the Recreation Grounds, near the south end of the Nancy Pauw Bridge.
Everyone with wheels is welcome to join and encouraged to show up at 10:30 a.m. to join in a community decorating of bicycles, skateboards, scooters, unicycles, roller skates… The parade leaves at 11:30 sharp and winds its way to the centre of the Pedestrian Zone at noon for the mayor to select the best decorated wheels. We’re starting a tradition of growing a people-powered parade, fitting of a national park, and we hope more participants will help grow the spectacle.
Pedestrian Zone
The centre of the Downtown Pedestrian Zone – at the intersection of Banff Avenue and Caribou Street – will feature a series of marching bands from 12:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Performers include the Vejen Guard Boys Band from Denmark, the Cochrane Pipe Band, the Calgary Round-Up Band and the Calgary Stetson Show Band and the Red Deer Royals.
Caribou Corner will also feature the world-famous mesmerizing performances by Blackfoot Medicine Speaks Dance Company and keep your eyes open for whimsical roving characters by Entangled Puppetry and Three Hat Circus all along the Pedestrian Zone
New this year on Banff Avenue, near Wolf Street, will be the Whyte Museum Art Lane, welcoming children of all ages to participate in creating chalk art and live painting, alongside professional artists.
High School Field
The Banff Community High School field presents the Family Fun Zone and a family-friendly stage from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with performances by Steve Harmer’s Motivational Magic, Bluebird Goldfinch, Three Hat Circus, Banff Belly Dance, and the Forest Lawn High School Dance Team.
The Bear’s Den
Bear Street will feature the “Bear’s Den” cooling and calming area from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with picnic tables, shade and treats on a street closed to vehicle traffic. The Bear’s Den also includes an intimate stage with storytelling by James Rose and music performances by Andrew Staygold, Riley Hana, Bob Hughes, Ji Won Baxter and Flint & Feather.
Since 2018, the Town of Banff has used a pyrotechnics display rather than traditional fireworks to decrease the noise impact on wildlife, as a responsible measure in a national park. Even though the use of pyrotechnics reduced noise because there is no secondary explosion and the low altitude reduced the distance of sound travel, the shows still produced noise, bright flashes, smoke at crowd level and litter that had to be carefully recovered.
A pyrotechnics/fireworks show will not be held this year as we review the impacts of noise and light flashes on wildlife and the secondary impacts on pets and people in the community.
Revisit Canada Day 2022:
