Banff SnowDays celebrates a month full of exquisite winter with breathtaking ice sculptures, and more you can view below.
We at Festival Sherpa take pride in introducing our readers to the weirdest, strangest and yet, unsung and underrated festivals from the shiftiest crevices of the world. Ergo, we love discovering new festivals, and we love enthusing about them to you. Here’s this week’s fix of quirky for you.
What better way to kick-off Christmas than with a snow festival that’s almost like a real life fairytale? Banff National Park plays host to one of the most beautiful snow and ice festivals we’ve come across so far. Celebrated in the month of January, this should be the first thing on your bucket list this new year.
There are many reasons why this festival is a phenomenal holiday and a unique festival experience wrapped up into one. Explore them in depth below!
The beautiful sculptures
One of the most striking features of the festival is the abundance of ethereal ice sculptures. SnowDays celebrates the art of ice-carving elaborately, and gives these amazing artists a platform to display their many works. Take a look at the breathtaking ice-sculptures from previous editions of the festival below.
(Images via: fest300.com)
The wonder that is Banff
Famous for being Canada’s highest town (at 4,540 feet), with postcard-perfect mountain scenery surrounding it on all sides, there could not be a better place for a month-long winter festival. Known to many as the more rustic, family-oriented, and affordable alternative to Quebec’s winter celebrations, which are quite popular in Canada, SnowDays may not see the number of attendees Quebec does, but that doesn’t dampen its winter spirit. Make sure you get out and soak in the scenery as much as you can., because we can’t think of a better place to celebrate winter than Banff.
(Image via: fest300.com)
The snow sports
Unlike most sports, snow sports don’t require you to be a pro to enjoy them. Enjoying hot-cocoa indoors as you watch snow fall outside has its perks, but so does a bit of exhilarating skiing. For all you noobs, the festival has sleigh rides, ice skating, dog sledding and snowshoe Geocaching. For those who are more proactive and wish to experience Banff’s winter wonderland in all its glory, you can go skiing or check out the ice-climbing point below!
(Image via: fest300.com)
The ice-climbing festival
Ice climbers and the like from all over the globe flock to Banff for the Ice Climbing Competition, which is one of the primary attractions at the festival. This 40-feet tall wall – that’s bound to give you some major GoT feels – is designed to be climbed and look enchanting. Don’t worry if you’re not an expert climber, everyone is welcome to mount the wall.
(Images via: fest300.com)
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