A pair of tourism leaders want to throw a party and everyone is invited.
Banff Heritage Tourism and Banff Lake Louise Tourism are spearheading a new community event to help kick off winter called Summon the Snow. The festivity will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 5-7 p.m. at Banff Avenue Square and is free for everyone to attend.
The event will feature bonfires, live music, performances, hot beverages, storytelling and contests.
“This is our first community-friendly annual event, we’re going to have a large bonfire right at Banff Avenue Square,” said Jon Bowden, program director for Banff Heritage Tourism. “The whole idea of the event is to kick off the ski season and to celebrate that ski mojo and ski culture that we have within Banff and the community. So to celebrate that, we’re going to have live music, live dancing performances, hot drinks, maple taffy – all that kind of stuff to really get people ready for the spirit of the season.”
The event draws inspiration from an event from many seasons ago. “Bruno Engler did what he called The Snow Dance,” said Bowden. “Back in the winter of ’70-71, it was January and there was a big lack of snow, so he did this kind of snow dance up on Mt. Norquay and low-and-behold it snowed so much in the next 48 hours it was the most snowfall in 60 years.”
Banff Heritage Tourism and Lake Louise Heritage Tourism are taking the historical legacy of Engler’s Snow Dance and connecting it to Summon the Snow.
“We have a few local performers lined up. The high school’s planning to have a drum-line perform, and then local musician Garry Gonis and his band, along with Catherine Thompson. We also have a local hoop dancer who will be putting on a winter costume and doing her finest performance around the fire as well,” said Bowden.
The event was planned a few months ago, with the idea stemming from a thought to have an event designed by locals for locals.
“There’s been a push in Banff and the community to celebrate our ski culture and I think we maybe lost a little bit of that over the last little while, and this event will help re-establish that along with other events and campaigns and promotions going on,” Bowden said.
“It’s just one more way we’re trying to engage our local community and celebrate the winter spirit and culture and help kick off the season,” he added. “It’s part of a bigger picture that’s really trying to generate that ski mojo for the community.”
The story of Engler and his very first snow dance will be told, for a nod to the area’s ski heritage and past, with prizes being offered for the best vintage ski outfit. “Bring your nastiest ski sweater out of your closet, onesy or really creative toque. We really just want to get everybody pumped for the ski season. Wear that ski attire and create that atmosphere and have a lot of fun doing this outside,” said Bowden.
“Everyone is welcome; families, 20 somethings, people who are new to town or been here a long time – come down and chat with people from the ski areas, meet up with some friends and make some new ones – celebrate the season.”
After 7 p.m. a screening will be held at Wild Bill’s for the new Teton Gravity Research (TGR) ski film, Way of Life.
