Alberta winters can be brutal, but there’s a silver lining. Winter means Christmas activities, including plenty of family-friendly festivals and holiday markets.
Deciding which events are worth checking out can be a chore, so we have compiled a list of our top five things to do this festive season! Activities are listed in no particular order.
If you are on a budget or want to know how much each activity costs, each recommendation is marked with between one and three dollar signs.
The more dollar signs an activity has, the more expensive it is! Activities that are free to participate in are labelled as so.
Banff Christmas Market ($$)
It doesn’t get more Christmas than the Banff Christmas Market, which starts on November 14 and ends on December 8.
The iconic holiday market lets visitors explore a variety of artisanal products from across the Bow Valley. While you might leave the market with a lighter wallet, your stomach will be full.
Local vendors offer a delicious selection of food and drinks, including fresh pretzels, candy, cocktails, and mulled wine to warm your spirit.
Did you get stuck with your snot-nosed cousins for a weekend? Drag them to the Banff Christmas Market!
The market is open to all ages and includes family-friendly events. While they are enjoying themselves, you can kick back with a few drinks. It’s a win-win!
This year, the Banff Christmas Market will be held at the Banff Heritage Train Station. Tickets and pricing can be found here.
Tickets are $15 for adults (11-64), $12 for seniors (65+), $5 for children (3-10), and free to children two and under. One hundred percent of child ticket sales are donated to the Shine Foundation!
If you are on a budget but still want to enjoy the event, the market is free to locals on its opening night, which will run from 5 PM to 9 PM.
Fun Fact: Did you know that Christmas markets originated in Germany in the early 1400s?
CPKC Holiday Train (Free)
Alright, this recommendation will require a bit more planning. The CPKC Holiday Train visits communities across Canada and the United States.
The train raises money, collects food donations, and spreads awareness for local food banks and food pantry organizations. If that isn’t enough to get you in the Christmas spirit, the train’s appearance will.
The CPKC Holiday Train is decked out with thousands of Christmas lights. Professional musicians play free concerts at each stop on the train’s stage. This year, in Alberta, the American Authors KT Tunstall, Tyler Shaw, Shawnee Kish, Magic!, and Sofia Camara will all perform!
Since the CPKC Holiday Train started spreading festive cheer in 1999, it has raised more than $24 million in donations and collected over 5 million pounds of food for community food banks.
This year, the CPKC Holiday Train will stop in Edmonton, Airdrie, Calgary, Cochrane, Canmore, Banff, and many other locations. We have compiled the schedule of Alberta stops at this link.
“We look forward to again seeing all the smiles and cheers from people young and old coming together in the spirit of giving,” said CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel.
If you already broke the bank spending on presents for your family, don’t worry. The CPKC Holiday Train is free to attend.
If you have some spare change, the train encourages attendees to make money or food donations to help those in need this holiday season and year-round.
Fun Fact: The CPKC Holiday Train is about 1,000 feet in length with 14 rail cars, all of which are decorated with LED lights and a boxcar that has been turned into a travelling stage for performers!
Mount Engadine Lodge and Cabins ($$$)
Are you painfully introverted? Not a fan of cramped markets and big crowds? Maybe you want to enjoy a little romance this holiday season.
If you have a bit of cash to spare, then Mount Engadine Lodge is for you!
Located in the heart of Kananaskis Country, just 30 minutes outside of Canmore, Mount Engadine Lodge is a surreal winter wonderland.
The lodge is open year-round, but what better time to soak in the beauty of the Rockies than winter? If you have pets, some of the lodge’s rooms are pet-friendly.
Mount Engadine Lodge lets you enjoy the great outdoors the way you like.
Guests can choose from lodge rooms, cabins, glamping tents, and a yurt for a cozy getaway.
Better yet, you get to enjoy the area’s stunning natural beauty while enjoying gourmet meals included with your stay.
Before booking at Mount Engadine Lodge, consider a few things. The lodge relies on a generator and battery bank for power to keep its environmental footprint small.
As a result, there are no TVs or telephones in the rooms, no cell service, and limited WIFI. Let’s be real. You aren’t going to a secluded mountain lodge to sit and watch TV.
Now, let’s address the grizzly bear in the room. Staying at Mount Engadine Lodge isn’t cheap due to limited availability.
If you plan on flying solo, you can get a room at the lodge for $312 for one day. The next cheapest options are $527 for a lodge king room and $530 for a glamping tent perfect for couples.
If you have a sweet holiday bonus and want to splurge, you can get a cozy cabin for two for $610 or $660 on November 1. If you are dropping that much money, you better plan on proposing!
Fun Fact: Winter is referred to as cuffing season, but it turns out that people aren’t just looking for holiday flings. December 24 and 25 are two of the most popular dates for proposals!
Attend A Christmas Concert or Musical Festival ($$-$$$)
Listening to carolers at your doorstep is one thing, but hearing some of your favourite Christmas tracks in a theatre is an entirely different experience.
If that sounds like your cup of hot cocoa, many Christmas-themed musical events are happening in Calgary this year.
To start things off, the Engineered Air Theatre is hosting a performance of Charlie Brown’s Christmas on December 18.
The concert is performed live by a children’s choir from the Montessori School of Calgary and singers from Youth Singers of Calgary.
The concert will feature favourites like Linus and Lucy, Christmas Time is Here, and Little Drummer Boy, performed by local musicians Claire Butler on piano, Kodi Hutchinson on bass, and Jim Johnston on drums.
Tickets to Charlie Brown’s Christmas cost $35 for adults and $25 for children. There will be two concerts, the first starting at 5:30 PM and the second at 7:30 PM.
Another Christmas classic is Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
The concert begins with a full screening of the film followed by a live performance of the film’s musical score led by conductor Evan Mitchell.
The first showing and performance will be at 7:30 p.m. on November 22, and the second performance will be at 2:00 p.m. on November 23.
Ticket prices vary depending on where you sit but generally cost between $36.75 and $105 before fees.
Fun Fact: There is no exact origin for Christmas carolling. However, a common legend suggests that Christmas carols were named after Carol Poles, a little girl who supposedly went missing in London during the holiday season in the late 19th century. People searched for her by going door-to-door singing to declare their good intentions.
Banff & Lake Louise Hot Chocolate Trail ($-$$$)
The Hot Chocolate Trail is the perfect event to experience with friends, family, and loved ones. Although, the trail is less of an event and more of an expedition!
The Hot Chocolate Trail is a map of more than 20 restaurants and cafes in Banff and Lake Louise offering limited-time specialty hot chocolates.
How much you spend will depend on how many participating locations you want to visit and how many cups of hot chocolate you can drink before needing a bathroom break!
Last year, the Three Bears Brewery and Restaurant whipped up its The Boss hot chocolate, a festive concoction made with brown ale syrup and PARK Chili vodka, as if hot chocolate wasn’t hot enough.
While some drinks have booze, many are ideally suited for children and might even have your inner child screaming for a taste.
Some creations are…out of the ordinary and might tempt you to try them out of sheer curiosity. For example, last year, the Pacini restaurant offered steamed milk hot chocolate with Amaretto garnished with Parmesan cheese.
If Pacini’s hot chocolate doesn’t tickle your fancy, the Hot Chocolate Trail usually includes locations that offer more classical hot chocolates, like Wild Flour Bakery.
Last year, the bakery’s Brownie Bauble Hot Chocolate was to die for. It was made with house-made hot chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream and decorated with a chunk of the Wild Flour brownie. You’ll need to immediately head out to snowshoe or ski to wear off all those calories gained!
This year’s treasure map for the Hot Chocolate Trail will be released on November 14 and available until December 31.
As mentioned earlier, you decide how much you spend! If you want to try a few hot chocolates, we suggest bringing at least $30.
Some hot chocolates cost less than ten bucks, while more extravagant hot chocolates can cost upwards of $15, so plan accordingly!
Fun Fact: the roots of hot chocolate are believed to trace back to the ancient Mayan civilization. Around 500 BC, the Mayans used cacao trees to create drinks using the beans. These drinks weren’t hot or chocolatey like the hot chocolate we enjoy today, but they were a starting point!
