Taking Mountain Culture to New Heights
By Wildly Supply Co.
The Best Mountain Fest is here for its 48th year
The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival has been taking mountain culture to new heights since 1976. And the 48th annual festival will undoubtedly keep the epic going. From Oct. 28 to Nov. 5, the festival features all things adventure front and centre in many forms: mountaineers, authors, and filmmakers sharing their stories and experiences.
So what can you expect at this year’s festival? On top of 84 film finalists being screened, there’s a new Rab Stage with free presentations and an expanded Festival Marketplace to check out, plus musical happy hours, campfire conversations, and downtown events galore.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. And here are some of the places you’ll find us over the nine, full and fun days.
Starting with on a shuttle or on public transit. The driving force behind the festival is the free shuttle service from downtown to the Banff Centre by Banff Airporter as well as the regional Roam Public Transit connection (Canmore to Banff, Lake Louise to Banff) with proof of a festival ticket on certain dates (Nov. 4 and Nov. 5). Parking fills up fast up at the Banff Centre so we’d also recommend parking at the Banff Train Station and walking up through town- may as well stretch the legs before taking in all those films.
You will also find us in the stacks during the Back to the Community Book Sale: Copies from the Collection. Hosted by the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies on Saturday, Oct. 28, mountain literature fanatics will have the opportunity to purchase duplicate copies of books, pamphlets, and postcards, including books from Catharine Robb Whyte, Ben Gadd, and Jimmy Simpson’s libraries. Proceeds from the sale will support ongoing collection development, maintenance, and preservation. Bookmark this one!
We’d love to grab tickets to Jeremy Jones – and Films on Friday, Nov. 3 where the award-winning snowboarder and founder of Protect Our Winters takes the stage for a presentation and interview with climbing celeb Timmy O’Neill about his new book, The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Mountain. Afterward, you can take in films in competition that focus on storylines around surfing, two brothers skiing a sacred mountain, and two gal pals who decide to take on a huge, historic climb in Mexico.
In between films and other festival hangs, we will plan to duck into the Festival Marketplace open Friday, Nov. 3- Sunday, Nov. 5. Billed as bigger and better in 2023, the marketplace includes a new Rab Stage for hosting free speaker events. Cruise the booths for the latest in gear, apparel, and books as well as mountain gifts made by local artisans.
And finally, we’re excited to listen to the Indigenous Dialogue – The Power of Women’s Stories on Sunday, Nov. 5, on the Rab Stage. Dr. Erynne Gilpin will host a conversation with global Indigenous athletes about the power of women’s land-based stories. And this year’s panel features outdoor legends Cassie Ayoungman, Coralia Sevilla, and Sandy Ward. Sandy has also a film at the festival called Slides on the Mountain.
Of course, this is just a snapshot of the festival guide, so be sure to map out your itinerary. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and throw in some last-minute programs too. We’ll see ya at the fest!
A NOTE FROM WILDLY: You, the reader, are responsible for your own safety and gathering the information you require to tackle these trips. Please adventure safely.
