There’s a special energy that fills Stargazers Theatre each year when the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is in town. It’s a little Warren Miller buzz meets a cerebral note you might find at Sundance or Telluride Film Festival. The kind of blend of adrenaline stoke and thoughtfulness that comes from outdoor lovers who recognize that the natural places and the activities that take us there are deep, vital and interconnected. After all, that’s the kind of mix of films that the Banff Centre has curated and showcased for 50 years in Banff, Alberta. And in its longstanding annual tradition, Mountain Chalet is hosting the world tour again on March 3-5.
“At Mountain Chalet, we love how our outdoor community comes together each year through the Banff Film Festival,” says Elaine Smith, co-owner of Mountain Chalet. “We’re a big group of friends who share a passion for the outdoors; we get together to enjoy creative and novel films that celebrate humanity, mountain sports and the different places we live around the world. And on top of that, we get to do a good thing in supporting our community through the nonprofit Pikes Peak Climbing Alliance.”
Mountain Chalet is Colorado’s oldest outdoor store, founded in 1968. The original Banff Festival of Mountaineering Films got started in 1976 by a tight-knit group of climbers and outdoor enthusiasts. That one-day gathering grew into a renowned international event, and in 1986 the Banff Centre launched its Mountain Film Festival World Tour to bring the films to other communities. The tour travels to more than 600 communities across 40-some countries each year.
Mountain Chalet began hosting the prestigious film fest in 2007, and Smith says it provides them a way to give back to the community. Each year, Mountain Chalet partners with Stargazers Theatre and donates the proceeds to a local outdoor nonprofit. This year, proceeds will be given to Pikes Peak Climbers Alliance, a local nonprofit dedicated to protecting and expanding climbing access in the region, “They’ve got a big work project ahead to develop Fisher Canyon, a new recreational area in the city [near Cheyenne Mountain],” Smith says. “Very exciting!”
Originally, the Banff Mountain Film Festival was a one night stop in Colorado Springs. Now it’s a three-night run, allowing for a different lineup each night with no repeat films. As host, Mountain Chalet helps to choose the selections and lineups from the yearly collection.
“Banff is celebrating its 50th year,” Smith says. “And it seems that all the filmmakers really stepped up because so many of this year’s films are fantastic!”
The Banff Centre receives more than 400 international entries each year. Those that make the world tour represent award-winners and audience favorites from the flagship festival in Banff. In general, audiences journey to remote landscapes, explore timely environmental issues and experience heart-pounding action sports on the big screen. Overall, it’s a celebration of the outdoor lifestyle shared in Colorado Springs, Banff and around the world.
The program is usually a journey through all the feels, from heart-pounding and exciting to compelling, moving, thought-provoking and back again to funny and joyful. It’s always inspiring.
“It seems people are each touched by different films, so overall it’s great to have something for everyone,” Smith says.
Here’s a preview of some of the films you’ll see at this year’s Banff Film Festival.
Old Man Lightning
The best climbing, comedy, comeback ever made, with a conservation plight. It will make you laugh and cry and maybe pee yer pants.
A Baffin Vacation, Love on Ice
Join adventurers Erik and Sarah on yet another outrageous Baffin Vacation as they kiteski north along the remote coastline of Baffin. Over their 69-day holiday, they ski mountains, climb an epic big wall, and cross a glacier in search of new rivers to whitewater kayak.
The Finisher: Jasmin Paris and the Barkley Marathons
The Finisher is a chronicle of Jasmin Paris’ groundbreaking achievement at the 2024 Barkley Marathons, where she became the first woman to complete the race in its 38-year history — defying long-held beliefs that no woman could ever achieve it. From her previous failed attempts to her triumphant finish — Paris’ resilience shines in one of the world’s most brutal endurance challenges.
Best Day Ever
Best Day Ever follows the stories of adaptive mountain bikers Greg Durso and Allie Bianchi as they navigate the relentless challenges of their disabilities with humor and attitude. Along the way, they embrace the tremendous support, friendship and joy they find in their rural Vermont riding community.
Emil & Karl – Little Wheels, Big Mountains
Jakob and Konne, two adventurous fathers bring their two year old sons on a six-day mountain bike tour through the Swiss Alps. From rumbling stomachs and croissant crises to unavoidable tantrums – what begins as an ideal plan quickly turns into a test of patience for all four.
Arctic Alchemy
Traveling by packraft and foot through Alaska’s mighty Brooks Range, Roman Dial and his team have a goal of finding the source of a mysterious phenomenon poisoning watersheds in the Arctic. Along the journey, Roman reckons with fatherhood, personal tragedy, and the power of wilderness to both break us and bring us fully alive.
How to Go to the Banff Mountain Film Festival in Colorado Springs
Mountain Chalet hosts the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour at Stargazers Theatre March 3-5, 2026.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. each evening, and films begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 per night and can be purchased three ways:
- At mtnchalet.com
- Calling 719-633-0732
- In person at Mountain Chalet at 15 N. Nevada Ave.
