The Banff Mountain Book Festival presents a comprehensive collection focussing on mountain-related subjects and featuring speakers, readings and seminars as well as the opportunity to have your favourite mountain authors autograph their latest publications. During the festival, featured authors share readings and insights into mountain literature and the adventures that fuel their exciting stories. Past speakers/authors include Tim Cahill, Greg Child, Wade Davis and Jon Krakauer. Seminars offer bountiful food for thought for writers, publishers and mountain enthusiasts, with topics ranging from the Voices of Adventure series profiling notable writers and adventurers, to the latest mountain books and panel discussions tackling relevant mountain themes. Internationally recognized awards are also presented to the best books in various categories, including Mountain Literature, Mountain Image and Adventure Travel. And just so you don’t have to digest all those words and ideas on an empty stomach, the Literary Lunch Series offers lunchtime readings in the Banff Centre Dining Room featuring engaging and entertaining mountain writers.

Then, with nary a moment to catch your breath, the festival energy escalates with the Banff Mountain Film Festival’s opening speaker. Historically featuring an internationally renowned mountaineer, opening night concludes with selected mountain film screenings. As festival goers view 35 to 40 finalist films – culled from more than 250 international entries – throughout the weekend, mountain images fill the hallways and theatres. The festival serves not only as a weekend of adventure voyeurism but also as a prestigious competition where the best films earn awards and prizes in specific categories including climbing, mountain environment, mountain culture and mountain sports. Even the audience members have a say as they decide which film wins the People’s Choice Award. In addition to screenings featuring the latest mountain films, Retro Reels includes a speaker presentation and excerpts from vintage mountain films. The weekend reaches its peak on the final evening when the awards are presented including the recipient of the Summit of Excellence Award, which recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the mountain world.

The Film Fest also features free noon-hour seminars on current mountain issues, an adventure trade fair, a mountain art and craft sale and an indoor climbing wall where you could easily find yourself pulling down on plastic holds next to a world-renowned alpinist. Past festival guests include Reinhold Messner, Sir Edmund Hillary, Alex Lowe, Lynn Hill, Sir Christian Bonington, Goran Kropp, Catherine Destivelle and the Canadian Rockies’ own Barry Blanchard. And it doesn’t end there. While projected attendance for the 2003 festival stands at 10,000, an additional audience of 100,000 is expected to view the festival’s best films as they travel to 28 countries throughout Europe, South Africa, South America, New Zealand and Iceland on the Banff Mountain Film Festival’s World Tour.