Fun, fascinating, and often free! The Jasper Dark Sky Festival's many family-friendly events make it perfect for stargazers both young and old.
From launching rockets to getting hands-on with real telescopes, some of the festival’s most exciting experiences are designed to appeal to curious young minds. Taking place October 16–25, 2026, the festival brings astronomy down to Earth with interactive science, outdoor adventures and plenty of opportunities to look up together.
Here are some of the best ways to experience the Jasper Dark Sky Festival as a family.
Festival Events Kids Will Love
- Hands-On Science & Space
- ScienceFest, presented by TELUS World of Science (FREE)
- Slooh Hands-On Observation Workshop (FREE)
- Slooh Mobile Airstream Experience (FREE)
- Blast Off with the Edmonton Rocketry Club (FREE)
- Jasper Rocketry Lab (FREE)
- Stargazing & Spectacles
- Stargazing with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (FREE)
- Planetarium and Telescope Combo
- Outdoor Bahamas Concert + Drone Show (FREE)
- Readings & Meet-the-Author Events
- Mia and the Martians Reading with Dr. Emma Louden (FREE)
- The Science of Pets: Reading and Book Signing with Jay Ingram (FREE)
Planetarium and Telescope Combo
October 16–25 | Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (lower level)
Journey through Jasper's corner of the cosmos with this bedtime-friendly dark sky experience that kids love. The evening begins with a locally-made show in a unique 40-seat planetarium, then peer through the most powerful telescopes in the Rockies. The Jasper Planetarium runs all year round, but the festival’s two-hour combo offers its Planetarium Experience and Telescope Experience with multiple evening departure times so families can choose the experience that works best with their itinerary. Although one of the few ticketed events on this list, this extremely high-rated experience is well worth the entry. It also comes with a two-year rain/cloud check for peace of mind.
Why families will love it: It combines an engaging unique-to-Jasper indoor planetarium experience with the excitement of seeing the real night sky through telescopes. Kids tickets are also steeply discounted.
ScienceFest, presented by TELUS World of Science
October 24 | Commemoration Park | FREE
Experiment, explore and get curious at ScienceFest, a day of hands-on discovery presented by TELUS World of Science – Edmonton.
Families can drop in between 2pm and 4pm and explore interactive activities that turn big scientific concepts into accessible and fun curiosity-stokers. It’s an especially good option for younger festival-goers—or for filling the daytime hours before heading outside to experience Jasper’s famously dark skies after sunset.
Why families will love it: It’s hands-on, outdoors and designed to make science fun and accessible for kids.
Blast Off with the Edmonton Rocketry Club
October 24 | Commemoration Park | FREE
3…2…1…blast off! Join the Edmonton Rocketry Club in Commemoration Park for one of the festival’s most exciting daytime family events. Kids can get an up-close look at the science and engineering behind rocketry before watching rockets soar overhead. It’s a chance to connect the dots between the science of space exploration and the thrill of seeing a launch happen right here in Jasper.
Why families will love it: Few things capture a kid’s attention quite like an actual rocket launch.
Jasper Rocketry Lab
October 23–24 | Old Firehall | FREE
Can’t get enough rockets? The Edmonton Rocketry Club will offer another opportunity to explore the explosively fun world of model rockets. At the Old Firehall on Friday evening and Saturday morning, visitors can browse rockets and motors for a range of skill levels, with select items available for purchase by cash or e-transfer. The club will also lead supervised, hands-on rocket-building sessions where participants will learn how to assemble a model rocket, prepare it for flight, and follow safe launch procedures. Rocket kits and motors will be available for $20, with additional motors available for purchase.
Why families will love it: It gives aspiring young engineers another chance to get excited about the science, creativity and hands-on fun behind model rockets.
Stargazing with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Multiple days | Lake Annette | FREE
Join members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – Edmonton Centre at beautiful Lake Annette (10 minute drive from downtown) for an evening of free guided stargazing and a closer look at the night sky. Ask questions, peer through telescopes and learn how to identify some of the celestial sights overhead. No astronomy experience is required. Just dress warmly, bring your curiosity and remember to look up.
Why families will love it: Kids can ask real astronomers their burning space questions while seeing the night sky through a telescope.
Slooh Hands-On Observation Workshop
October 24 | Pop-up village | FREE
Looking through a telescope is one thing. Learning how astronomers actually observe the universe takes the experience to another level.
Slooh’s hands-on lunchtime workshop introduce festival-goers to astronomical observation in an approachable, interactive setting. Led by experience astronomy educator Anna Paolucci, this workshop will help kids get more comfortable finding, identifying and observing objects in the night sky. Learn practical techniques, ask questions, and put new skills to use with guidance from an experienced astronomy educator.
Can't make the observation workshop? Slooh's mobile Airstream experience will be around all festival long, giving families the flexibility to explore space and astronomy at a time that best suits them.
Why families will love it: The mobile airstream has flexible opening hours and gives budding astronomers a taste of learning how to explore the universe.
Mia and the Martians Reading
October 16 | Jasper Public Library | FREE
Blast off for Mars with astrophysicist and author Dr. Emma Louden during a family-friendly reading of Mia and the Martians.
Young space enthusiasts can follow Mia, a curious explorer who journeys to Mars, encounters the planet’s famous rovers and discovers a story filled with curiosity, courage and teamwork. Stick around after the reading for the chance to meet Dr. Louden and have your book signed.
Why families will love it: It combines storytime and space science in an approachable adventure for young explorers—and offers the chance to meet a real astrophysicist.
The Science of Pets: Reading and Book Signing with Jay Ingram
October 24 | Jasper Public Library | FREE
Why do cats purr? What exactly does your dog understand about you? Science writer and broadcaster Jay Ingram tackles the fascinating science behind our four-legged family members during a lively reading from The Science of Pets. Explore the surprising biology, behaviour and intelligence of the animals that share our homes, then stick around after the reading for a chance to meet Jay and have your book signed.
Why families will love it: Space isn’t the only science worth exploring! Familiar questions about beloved pets make this an easy and entertaining way to get kids thinking scientifically about the world around them.
Outdoor Concert + Drone Show
October 24 | FREE
For a nighttime experience the whole family can enjoy, look to the sky for a spectacular drone show over Jasper.
After a free outdoor concert by Canadian musician Bahamas, hundreds of synchronized drones transform the darkness into a canvas of light, creating enormous shapes and animations overhead. It’s an easy event to build into a family evening and a memorable introduction to the festival for even its youngest visitors.
Why families will love it: Big visuals, an outdoor setting and no astronomy knowledge required.
Tips for attending with kids
October nights in the mountains can be cold, so bring warmer layers than you think you’ll need, including toques and gloves for evening events. And a well-stocked snack cache rarely goes unappreciated (bonus points for bringing a thermos of hot cocoa). Give younger kids some downtime between daytime programming and stargazing, and consider bringing a red-light flashlight for nighttime activities—it helps preserve your night vision while making it easier to get around.
Most importantly, leave some flexibility in your schedule. Sometimes the best Dark Sky Festival moments involve simply finding a quiet spot, looking up together and seeing who can spot the first shooting star to wish upon.
Ready to plan your family Dark Sky adventure? Explore the full Jasper Dark Sky Festival schedule to find even more events happening October 16–25, 2026.
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