Banff Centre has announced the 2026 edition of the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, set for Oct. 31 to Nov. 8 at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Banff, Alberta. The 51st festival will bring stories of adventure and exploration from around the world, along with guest speakers, films, free events, talks, exhibitions and the Festival Marketplace.
According to the festival announcement, tickets are now on sale, with passes and Weekend Passes also available. The event is described as spanning nine days, and the programme includes more than 70 events across the festival period. The festival page says it will feature guest speakers, films from around the world, and “mountains of FREE events,” including talks, exhibitions and the marketplace.
The initial lineup highlighted in the festival email includes climbers Barry Blanchard, Ines Papert and Sarah Hueniken as guest speakers, along with a special fundraising event with mountaineer Leo Houlding. Book events are also part of the schedule, including appearances by environmental author Suzanne Simard, conservationists Ben Weissenbach and Dillon Osleger, and memoirists Claire Cameron and Kevin Van Tighem. The festival says over 80 films will be included, with the film selection announced on Oct. 5.
The programme is not limited to screenings and talks. The festival materials also point to free patio parties with live music, talks on the Rab Stage, the Festival Marketplace, and exhibitions. A separate “How to Festival” guide outlines practical details for visitors, including the free Festival Guide available at venues during the event, and notes that events are spread across campus locations and other venues in Banff.
Festival logistics are already part of the public information. Banff Centre says hotel bookings at the centre start from $256 per night plus taxes and fees, and that all ticket buyers and passholders receive priority access to hotel reservations. The site also says admission to the Walter Phillips Gallery is included for hotel guests, though the page does not specify that the gallery is part of the festival programme beyond the general exhibition listing.
The festival announcement also extends beyond the autumn dates, with a Banff @Altitude podcast featuring past festival guests. New episodes are available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music and YouTube, and the first two episodes mentioned in the release include an interview with Lydia Bradey and a conversation featuring Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold with Kelly Cordes. The festival email says season two episodes will launch weekly until October.
Other related festival activity includes the Banff Mountain Film Competition, which is open for entries until Aug. 5 and offers more than $35,000 in cash and prizes. For audiences who cannot attend in Banff, the festival notes that the 2026-2027 World Tour will launch in December after the Banff edition ends, with screenings in more than 40 countries.
