Springtime is just around the corner and with it comes a breath of new life in the outdoors everywhere. Once place where this is particularly visible is in Banff. Surrounded with soaring mountain ranges, hot springs and plenty of history, it’s no surprise that art enthusiasts make their way over to Alberta.
This year, springstART Festival returns to Banff National Park April 5 to 21, 2013. With a diverse collection of events highlighting the iconic mountain park’s cultural and artistic heritage, the second-annual springstART festival will welcome visitors with photography workshops, historical walking and ski tours, special gallery exhibits, weekend ‘culture crawls’ and live music including performances by Randy Bachman and Cowboy Junkies.
Since Banff National Park’s inception in 1885, its spectacular beauty has inspired artists of every kind. Many of the first explorers and mountaineers were painters, writers, photographers and musicians, each one interpreting the mountain landscape in a way that would make the destination even more famous than before.
Amongst the many events scheduled to take place during the festival, other highlights will include screenings of some of the best films to emerge from the world-famous Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, story-telling by First Nations and local legends, and guided heritage tours of homes, hotels, museums and the great outdoors.
While you’re there, be sure to take in some of the most popular spring time activities including hiking, biking, horseback riding and, if you’re feeling adventurous, white water rafting (although the glaciers might be a little chilly). There are also guided sight seeing tours that will also show you the most scenic areas of Banff which is great for visiting photographers.
If you plan to drive out to Banff, the park can be accessed from Vancouver via the TransCanada Highway. If you prefer a chartered bus, shuttle or rail transportation, be sure to check with different travel agencies that offer this service. This way, you can just sit back and enjoy the scenery.
Banff is located a scenic full day’s drive (850 km/530 mi) from Vancouver, which takes you through the Coast Mountains and wine-country of British Columbia before entering the stunning landscape of the Canadian Rockies. Many travelers also fly from Vancouver to Calgary and access the park from that side.
Images c/o Banff Lake Louise Tourism by Paul Zizka.
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