Annual Events & Festivals
Annual Events
- The 24 Hours of Adrenalin is a mountain bike race series
spanning North America, with annual stops in Canmore. The race
consists of hundreds of solo or team riders competing to ride as
many laps as possible within a 24-hour time frame, on a challenging
16 km circuit at the Canmore Nordic Centre.
- The Canmore Ice Climbing Festival, is an international event
held each December. The main feature is an 18-metre (60-foot)
manmade icewall constructed on Canmore’s downtown fringe from
chicken wire, scaffolding and long hoses. Events include an
exhibitor tent, climbing clinics, and renowned guest speakers.
- The Rocky Mountain Ski Challenge is an annual ski marathon
hosted by the Canmore Nordic Ski Club.
- The Rock and Fossil Show is co-presented by CMAGS and
APEGGA.
Anyone can bring their rock or fossil find to have it evaluated by
a professional geologist. The event is usually held in
October.
- The Canmore Bar Crawl is an annual event where participants are
required to go to every bar in Canmore and have at least one pint
before moving on to the next one. This is repeated until there is
one person left standing. This has been won 6 years in a row by
Sarah "The Iron Liver" McIntosh. She narrowly beat Cracky
El Crackison as Sarah only lasted an extra 4.68 seconds after
Cracky passed out.
Festivals
- Mozart on the Mountain is an outdoor concert presented annually
by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.
- The Canmore Folk Music Festival
is held annually on the Heritage Day long weekend in August at
Centennial Park on the Stan Rogers Stage. The festival has played
host to the likes of Ry Cooder, Stan Rogers, Arlo Guthrie, The
Arrogant Worms, The Paperboys, The Rankin Family, Moxy
Früvous, Oscar Lopez and many other notable artists. The
Canmore Folk Music Fesitval is the longest running music festival
in Alberta, and in 2007 celebrated its 30th year.
- The Canmore Highland Games
are presented annually by the Three Sisters Scottish Society on the
September long weekend. They are in their 17th year. The games host
a, heavy lifting
competitions, piping and drumming, and highland dance events.
- The annual Festival of Eagles is a celebration of the Golden
Eagle autumn migration over Canmore and the Bow Valley. The weekend
celebration, currently in its 13th year, includes guided hikes,
bird walks, interpretive displays, theatrical performances and
guest speakers. Spotting scopes are set up at Canmore Collegiate
High School.
- The Vic Lewis International Band Festival
is held every November. It is in its 11th year. The festival hosts
up to thirty-two concert bands, wind ensembles and jazz bands from
across Alberta who play for some of the most well-known band
directors in North America. Previous directors have included Tim
Salzman, Paul Read, Gillian Mackay, and Tommy Banks. More than 800
students in junior high and high school bands perform for
adjudicators, participate in workshops, listen to faculty recitals
and give public performances during the two days and two nights of
the festival. The festival takes place at Canmore Collegiate High
School and the Canmore Recreation Centre with evening gala
performances at the Oh Canada, Eh?! Theatre.
- The annual Canmore Children's Festival
is a two-day event providing an array of children's
entertainment, including acrobats, magicians, jugglers, music,
theatre, storytelling, crafts, stilt-walking, dancing, face
painting, and clowns.
- The Canmore ArtsPeak Arts Festival is held in June and
celebrates Canmore's artistic spirit by featuring performing
artists, artists and artisans, an art walk, a literary festival,
film screenings, and street performers.
What's On 2009
Places To
Visit
Culture