Are you looking for something a bit different on your next vacation?

Do you find it enticing to gaze up at the endless stars and watch the northern lights dance? Imagine waking up to stunning mountain scenery, and wildlife like elks and mooses, every morning.

What would you say, if I told you that you could do all of this while dining at world-class local restaurants and enjoying accommodations of the highest standard?

The Jasper Dark Sky Festival offers all that and more.

What is the JASPER Dark Sky Festival?

The Jasper Dark Sky Festival is held every year in Jasper, Alberta.

Jasper lies in the heart of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. The small town has managed to retain its unique character despite being a popular tourist destination. The town is home to a number of elk and bighorn sheep, as well as some of the most beautiful alpine mountains and lakes you will ever see.

The Dark Sky Festival is held over two weekends each October and features a wide range of events, speakers, and activities related to science, space, and conservation.

You can even expect a bit of celebrity magic: previous speakers include George Takei, best known for his role as Sulu in the original Star Trek TV show, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, (check out this informative and entertaining), and Kari Byron (former host of Discovery Channel’s hit Mythbusters show).

When Tourism Jasper invited me to attend the Jasper Dark Sky Festival, I jumped on the opportunity.

JASPER DARK SKIY PRESERVE

The Dark Sky Festival is held at Jasper National Park. It’s home to the largest Dark Sky Preserve in the world.

10 REASONS TO VISIT JASPER DARK SKI FESTIVAL

It’s difficult to choose just 10 reasons to attend the Jasper Dark Sky Festival. From world-class talks to viewing the night sky to delicious food, there’s so many things to do! Here are my top ten reasons to visit the Jasper Dark Sky Festival.

STARGAZING & TAKING IN NORTHERN LUMS

Beyond the Stars at Lake Annette is a great way to see the stars.

Dark Sky photographers, Parks Canada Interpreters, and Telus World of Science – Edmonton Centre will be on hand to guide you through this evening event.

Tim Horton’s has a truck nearby that offers free lattes and hot chocolate to those who don’t like cold weather or just enjoy their coffee. The Visitor Information Centre offers a free shuttle service.

Standing in the middle of a starlit sky and watching the northern lights change shapes over Lake Annette is an amazing experience.

The site is full of interesting sights, but my favorite was stopping by the telescopes that were set up by volunteers who are knowledgeable. Each telescope focused on a different celestial object – from distant galaxies and planets to faraway galaxies. This is a wonderful experience!

Tip! You can have a much better experience with a good stargazing application! 

THE SCENERY

Have you ever seen a picture of a lake that is emerald-green and clear, but looks like it was taken in the Canadian Rockies. This photo was most likely taken in Jasper.

Jasper has a beautiful landscape that you can see pretty much everywhere in the city. Here is a list of the highlights from Tourism Jasper.

Take the fully enclosed tram of the Jasper SkyTram for a stunning view. Dogs are welcomed!

You’ve probably seen images of Spirit Island and Maligne Lake on Instagram. The lake turns a beautiful green in warmer weather.

SCIENCE

It doesn’t matter if you’re a geek to enjoy the Jasper Dark Sky Festival.

You can find plenty of activities for science geeks like myself, including the chance to talk to world-class astronomers and view stars up close. Check out the Jasper Dark Sky Festival events such as Stargazing and Observe the Sun, both of which have received rave reviews. There’s always something to do at the Jasper Dark Sky Festival.

THE WILDLIFE

The relatively untouched nature of the Canadian Rockies makes Jasper a wonderful place to observe wildlife.

Elk, moose and caribou live in the park, as do mountain goats, bighorn sheep, wolves and bears. There are also many smaller animals, such as pikas and marmots.

The Keynote Speakers

The Jasper Dark Sky keynote speakers vary from year to year but are always informative and entertaining. These speakers will explore interesting topics. What exactly is dark matter? Why is space exploration important? Will we colonize Mars someday?

During my trip, I heard UK Professor Brian Cox, and Phil Plait of Bad Astronomer fame.

The talks were lively and interesting, and I was impressed by how graciously and actively both men engaged with the audience, young and older, during the questions and answers period.

THE KIDS

The Jasper Dark Sky Festival offers a variety of activities for children, including fun in the planetarium. (More on this later!) The Jasper Dark Sky Festival offers a variety of activities for children, from the planetarium (more on that later!) to the Big Bang Expo.

Big Bang Expo presented by TELUS at Jasper Elementary School is full of exciting experiments for both kids and adults.

Indoors, you can have a lot of indoor fun by building model rockets and flying them. There are also many science-related activities.

THE FOOD

Jasper is a small mountain town with a surprising number of excellent restaurants. From gourmet to casual, you’ll find it all. These are the restaurants that I visited during my trip.

ORSO TRATTORIA

One word: Yum! The beautiful and relaxed Orso Trattoria can be found inside the Jasper Park Lodge. The restaurant is also located on the ground floor, which offers stunning views of mountains and lakes.

There are many interesting dishes on the menu, including breakfast poutine, croque madame and avocado toast. Breakfast is available every day, but dinners are only offered on Saturday and Sunday.

EVIL DAVE GRILL

Locally owned Evil Dave’s Grill offers a fun, casual atmosphere with delicious food.

All of the dishes, including Fiendish Falafel, Karma Curry and Malevolent Meatloaf have a diabolical touch. The Karma Curry was delicious, spicy, flavorful and fresh. Try the Beautiful Brie – a deep fried wheel of almond and Panko crusted brie on a chilled pear purée, served with toasted baguette. Delicious!

COCO’S CAFE

Coco’s Café , a funky and fun restaurant in Jasper was my favourite.

The food was delicious, I had a bagged vegetarian lunch that included a spicy burrito.

Locally owned, this restaurant specializes in vegan, vegetarian and celiac-friendly food.

JASPER BREAKING COMPANY

The Jasper Brewing Company has a thriving atmosphere, with both locals and tourists. Menu items include confit duck tacos to warm buttered soft prezels to veggie burgers to pan-roasted Ora King Salmon. Also, the beer is pretty good!

EMERALD LOCATION

The Emerald Lounge is located in the lobby of the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. The Emerald Lounge was a welcome sight after a long shuttle delay. Its cozy chairs and roaring fires were very welcoming. The Emerald Lounge is open from morning until night, and has a warm atmosphere.

THE PLANETARIUM

Do not miss the Jasper Planetarium. The inflatable dome is an immersive 360-degree astronomical experience. It’s great in all kinds of weather. The narration is both interesting and informative. It’s worth a visit.

For more information and ticket prices, visit the Jasper Planetarium Website.

SPACETALKS PANEL

Each year, the Jasper Dark Sky Festival also hosts a Spacetalks Panel.

The show is hosted by the knowledgeable and entertaining Natalie Panek. Each year, a different scientist is featured.

The panelists included astrophysicist Rob Thacker and Scientific American Contributing editor John Rennie.

The Dark Sky Festival has a lot of great things to offer, but I think SPACEtalks is my favorite part. It was casual, fun and so fascinating!

Niki Niki Wilson

Niki Wilson, a Dark Sky Festival favourite, will host the SPACEtalks Panel and other events. She is a well-informed and fascinating science journalist who has been published in magazines such as BBCEarth and Motherboard.

The Hotels – Where to Stay in JASPER National Park

There are many great hotels in Jasper, but I had the good fortune to stay at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

The 700-acre luxury resort is located at the Beauvert Lake. The hotel has a heated pool that is accessible in the winter. It’s located in an idyllic setting.

The rooms of this hotel are unique in that they are all connected by scenic paths. Signature Cabins are available.

BONUS RATIONALE THE COMMUNITY

Jasper is a small Canadian town that feels as though it’s a smaller place. You’ll almost certainly bump into someone you know from your earlier trip. This makes for an inviting experience.

What You Need to Know

The Jasper Dark Sky Festival website has all the details about the Festival and where you can purchase tickets.

Tourism Jasper has a great website that you can visit to learn more about Jasper, including its activities, accommodations and dining options.

The Icefields Parkway connects Jasper to Banff in Alberta. It is 362 km (225 mi), west of Edmonton.

The Icefields Parkway has a stunning stretch of road with waterfalls, glaciers you can walk on and clear emerald lake set in beautiful valleys of dense pine forests.

From Calgary or Kamloops in British Columbia, you can get there in 4 1/2 hours.

Temperature In October, Jasper is surprisingly warm, considering it’s located in the Canadian Rockies. Daily highs average 50 Fahrenheit (10 Celsius) and daily lows 30 Fahrenheit (1 Celsius). There was very little snow on the town’s site when I visited, but there was a lot of snow at higher elevations, like Maligne Lake.

What you should bring: Since this is Canada and October in the mountains it’s important to have a warm jacket, boots or warm shoes, mittens, and a touque. Dress appropriately for the weather forecast. You’ll be out at night, watching the northern lights and stars.

How do I get there

Edmonton International Airport (390 km) and Calgary International Airport (430 km) are the closest airports. Jasper has an airport, but there are no commercial flights from it. It’s mainly used for diversions, delivieries, and other uses.

You can choose to self-drive from Edmonton or Calgary or you can take a shuttle. SunDog Tours offers shuttles to and from Edmonton and Calgary.

For safety, I would recommend taking a winter shuttle if you are not used to driving on snow and ice.