Banff Lake Louise News
Current happenings, updates, and news.
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Banff National Park has got an abundance of events, art exhibits, live music and community activities happening every month. We are a population that likes to keep busy and to keep our visitors entertained.
October brings WordFest to town at The Banff Centre and various other venues, with over 70 artists speaking, reading and performing in over 65 events.
November is WinterStart... we say good bye to summer and hello winter! Be sure to join us for the Santa Claus Parade of Lights, indoor chirstmas crafts and activities, plus a christmas tree decorating contest between local business owner that you get to vote on.
November & December brings the Bombardier Lake Louise WinterStart World Cup to the Lake Louise Mountain Resort. Over two weekends you can hang out, ski/snowboard and watch the Men's and Woman's Super G & Downhill races.
Want to know what else we've got going on in the Park? Check out our Events and Festivals page!
You never know what will happen on Banff Avenue!
A large scale Freeze Improv happened on Banff Ave. this rainy Friday afternoon. They're message... stop and enjoy the moment.
About 30 people came together at the gazebo in Central Park along the Bow River to partake in the activity. They broke up into three groups of 10 to wander along Banff Ave. waiting for the signal to freeze, facing Cascade Mountain... which unfortunately was hard to see through the rain clouds.
This is a little video I took with the camera of the motionless visitors and locals... notice some people didn't know what was going on and the dog couldn't help himself but to check me out as I wandered by.
Today, Lake Minnewanka is the largest lake in Banff National Park, but over 100 years ago it used to cover a much smaller area. In the late 1800's a resort community called Minnewanka Landing sat on the shores of the lake with a host of hotels and restaurants accommodating the visitors who wanted to go boating and sailing.
In 1895 the lake was dammed to improve the shoreline, and the second dam was built in 1912 by the Calgary Power Co. for water storage. The dam you drive over today was built in 1941 under the War Measure Act and Minnewanka Landing was covered. The final dam raised the water 30 meters causing the lake to spread to an impressive 8km's in length.
Now Minnewanka Landing is a popular cold water dive site where only scuba divers can explore the old town site. They can take a tour of the old hotel, check out a fireplace, stroll or 'fin' along a sidewalk, and visit many old house foundations.
The dam today. The lake is not only used by scuba divers, but also boat tours, recreational fishing, swimmers, and events like the dragon boat festival.
Byron Harmon has been a part of Banff National Park since the early 1900's when he moved from his birthplace in Tacoma, Washington. He made it his life's mission to photograph the "Canadian Rockies in all their moods" (yes mountains have moods... you'll understand once you visit if you haven't already!) and to capture every major peak and glacier in the Rockies Mountains.
Because he couldn't afford a camera when he was just starting out, he made his own... a hand-made pinhole camera. He then went on to purchase a 5x7 view camera loaded with cellulose-nitrate film (see photo below). Very heavy gear and not very easy to hike up a mountain... talk about having a passion for what you do!
Many shops in town still carry his work including a gallery run by his granddaughter called 'Harmon Gallery' in Harmony Lane downtown Banff.
Looking for more art and history in Banff National Park? Check out the "Arts, Culture & Heritage" of Banff & Lake Louise
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