There are plenty of reasons to look up during the Jasper Dark Sky Festival, but some of this year’s best experiences might have you looking down too—specifically, at your plate.
From a sunset dinner high above the town on Whistlers Mountain to new cocktails that'll have you seeing stars, the 2026 Jasper Dark Sky Festival brings food, drink and astronomy together in ways that combine the best of the Rockies with the wonders of the night sky. Whether you want to make dinner the main event, sip something celestial or pair a meal with a night of stargazing, add these culinary experiences to your festival itinerary.
2026 Dark Sky food & drink events
- Festival-only specials
- Blackberry Lemonade Sour at Jasper Brewing Co.
- Milky Way Espresso Martini Trail
- Dining + adventure experiences
- Sun to Stars at the Jasper SkyTram
- A Night Under the Stars
- Speaker Series with food & drink
- Operation Period with Manju Bangalore
- A Tour of the Cosmos
- Why the Dark Matters
- Chasing the Night
- Thriving in the Age of Artemis
- Exploring Martian Geology to Understand How Planets Sustain Life
- How to Die in Space
- Arts, culture & entertainment
- Dark Designs: Visions in Moonlight Opening Gala
- Symphony Under the Stars (weekend package)
- Bahamas Concert + Drone Show
The 2026 Jasper Dark Sky Festival runs from Oct. 16 - 25.
Dark Sky Festival food & drink specials
Follow the Milky Way Espresso Martini Trail
When: October 16–25
Where: Aalto, Silverwater Grill & Lounge, Terra and Boreal
Throughout the festival, four Jasper restaurants are putting their own spin on the classic espresso martini. Stop into Aalto, Silverwater Grill & Lounge, Terra and Boreal to try four different $14 creations inspired by the night sky.
Enjoy all four unique martinis (up to you if the enjoyment is spread over multiple days or not) and be entered to win a prize!
Try Jasper Brewing Co.'s limited-edition Dark Sky beer
When: October 16–25
Where: Jasper Brewing Co.
Raise a glass to Jasper's skies with a beer brewed specifically to honour them. The limited-edition Blackberry Lemonade Sour will be available all festival long at Jasper Brewing Co., aka the first brewery to open in a national park. Stop in for a pint between festival events, pair it with dinner or make it your après-stargazing drink after a night spent looking up.
Dining & adventure experiences
Mountaintop dining with Sun to Stars
When: October 16, 17, 23, 24
Where: Jasper SkyTram
Take dinner to a higher elevation at Sun to Stars, which combines a tram-ride to the top of Whistlers Mountain via the Jasper SkyTram, astronomy programming and optional dining high above the Jasper townsite.
The experience begins with a Jasper Planetarium dome presentation before guests board the tram to the Upper Station, complete with panoramic views. As daylight fades, explore astronomy exhibits, peer through some of the most powerful telescopes in the Rockies, and learn from local experts.
The main package includes a two-course dinner in your experience, (entrée options include: prairie chicken with Alberta barley, wild rice and greens; seared salmon with fingerling potatoes, greens, smoked bacon, roasted tomatoes and horseradish honey emulsion; Togarashi tofu bowl with roasted squash, mushroom dashi, sesame oil and green onions; optional upgrade to braised certified Angus short rib). Or opt for Star Sessions Lite ticket to exclude dinner.
Have dinner under the stars—in the backcountry
When: October 16 & 23
Where: Big Bend Campground
For this Dark Sky dining experience, you'll have to earn your dinner with a hike.
A Night Under the Stars is a one-night, fully catered backpacking and stargazing adventure withStarry Summit Mountain Adventures. Head into Jasper's backcountry with a guide and spend the night at a scenic campsite chosen for its stargazing potential.
Food, tents and camping equipment are provided, along with a portable telescope for exploring the night sky once darkness falls. It's part backcountry adventure, part stargazing experience and a particularly memorable way to dine under Jasper's dark skies.
Big Bend backcountry campground
Speaker Series with food & drink
The Jasper Dark Sky Festival Speaker Series isn't just food for thought. Several of this year's talks come with breakfast, brunch, dinner, drinks or small bites, turning a fascinating science presentation into a full culinary experience.
Operation Period with Manju Bangalore
When: October 16, 7–9 p.m.
The Food: An alcoholic beverage or mocktail, plus small bites, included with admission.
Scientist, astronaut candidate and activist Manju Bangalore shares the story behind Operation Period-01, bringing an unexpected subject into the conversation about human spaceflight.
A Tour of the Cosmos
When: October 17, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
The Food: Ticket includes a plated breakfast and non-alcoholic beverage.
Take a trip through the universe over breakfast with Dr. Emma Cain-Louden. Presented by Slooh, this accessible introduction to the cosmos explores the stars, planets, galaxies and extraordinary phenomena that fill the universe, along with the science that helps us understand our place within it.
Why the Dark Matters
When: October 18, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
The Food: Admission includes an alcoholic beverage or mocktail and small bites
Darkness is more than the absence of light. Join Dr. Emma Cain-Louden for an exploration of why darkness matters and what we can learn by preserving and experiencing truly dark skies.
Chasing the Night
When: October 18, noon–2 p.m.
The Food: Includes a plated brunch and non-alcoholic beverage.
What do an astronomer, an aurora chaser and a photographer see when they look at the same night sky? Join Stéphane Picard of Cliff Valley Astronomy, Chris Ratzlaff of Alberta Aurora Chasers and photographer Mike Gere for a conversation about the different ways we observe and connect with the sky. From photographing the Milky Way and tracking auroras to amateur astronomy, the panel explores how their worlds overlap—and the role technology, patience and wonder play in each.
Thriving in the Age of Artemis
When: October 23, 6–8 p.m.
The Food: This evening event is also one of the festival's biggest dining experiences, with a three-course plated dinner included and an optional wine pairing available.
Go behind the scenes of the Artemis mission with science communicator Dan Riskin, exploring the challenges of sending humans back toward the Moon—and what the mission's crew can teach us about trust, collaboration and tackling ambitious goals.
Exploring Martian Geology to Understand How Planets Sustain Life
When: October 24, 8:30–10:30 a.m.
The Food: A plated breakfast plus coffee, tea or juice is included with your ticket.
Start Saturday morning by travelling about 225 million kilometres away—at least intellectually. Dr. Benjamin Tutolo explores new discoveries of sedimentary carbonate minerals in Mars' Gale Crater and what they are teaching scientists about the planet's past habitability.
How to Die in Space
When: October 25, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
The Food: A plated brunch and non-alcoholic beverage are included with ticket.
Brunch gets a little more perilous on the final day of Dark Sky Festival. In How to Die in Space, Dr. Raj Bhardwaj brings together decades of clinical experience with a lifelong fascination with the cosmos to explore what happens to the human body beyond the safety of Earth.
Food & drink meets arts & entertainment
Dark Designs: Visions in Moonlight Opening Gala
When: October 16, 6–9 p.m.
Where: The Jasper Art Gallery
Start the festival surrounded by art inspired by the mystery, beauty and imagination of the night sky. The Dark Designs: Visions in Moonlight exhibition runs from October 14–31, but its opening night gala will include member activations and demonstrations, music from Claravoynt Bass, a bar and catering by Otto's Cache.
Grab dinner and catch Bahamas under the stars
When: October 24, doors at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Commemoration Park
One of the biggest nights of the festival pairs live music beneath Jasper's dark skies with local food and drinks.
Canadian singer-songwriter Afie Jurvanen, better known as Bahamas, headlines the free outdoor concert at Commemoration Park, with Kyle McKearney opening the evening.
Come hungry: local food vendors and drinks will be available at the concert, making it easy to grab dinner while taking in the show. Then stick around after the music—the festival's Love Letter from the Moon drone show follows directly after the concert.
Symphony Under the Stars
When: October 16–18, 2026
Where: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Turn one of the Jasper Dark Sky Festival’s signature events into a full culinary getaway with Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge’s Symphony Under the Stars Weekend Package.
In addition to Symphony tickets, the package includes a multi-course dinner with wine pairings for two, also held on the night of the concert (Oct. 17), plus a two-night stay at the lakeside resort.
For an even more premium culinary experience, guests can add the Starlight Experience, which combines an exclusive welcome cocktail reception, with reserved concert seating with Host Bar access, and special behind-the-scenes connections.
With dinner, wine, live orchestral music and a weekend at one of Jasper’s most iconic resorts, it’s a splurge-worthy way to experience the first weekend of Dark Sky Festival.
Make a weekend of it
The food doesn't stop when the festival events do. Jasper's compact downtown makes it easy to move from daytime Dark Sky programming to dinner, then back outside for an evening of stargazing, live music or astronomy.
Between dedicated culinary events, leave some room in your itinerary to explore Jasper's restaurants, cafés, breweries and bars—and keep an eye out for special Dark Sky-inspired drinks and dishes appearing around town all month long.
Because at the Jasper Dark Sky Festival, absorbing the wonders of the universe can really work up an appetite.
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