Waterton is a designated Dark Sky Park, which means the night sky here is genuinely one of the darkest and clearest you’ll find anywhere in Canada. Once a year Dark Sky Guides turns that into a full festival weekend.

Dark Sky Discovery Days 2026 runs from September 10th – 13th right here in Waterton Lakes National Park. This year’s theme is “Into the Darkness”, and it’s all built around the new moon. When it’s a new moon, that means there’s no moonlight washing out the sky so the stars are at their very brightest.

Here at Zum’s we love our community and we really like to highlight other local businesses whenever possible. The folks behind Dark Sky Guides are friends and neighbours of ours, so we really want to help get the word out about this unique event. Here’s what you’ll need to know before you come.

Quick Facts

• Three star parties (Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights)
• Solar gazing sessions (Friday and Saturday)
• Keynote speakers and astronomy talks
• Telescope demonstrations and an intro to telescopes session
• One planetarium show at the Waterton Planetarium
• Access to all presentations and festival activities

Guided night sky tours are a separate add-on. If you’ve never done one, they’re worth it. Dark Sky Guides has been running tours in the park since 2018 and their Dark Sky Adventure Tour has won a Travel Alberta ALTO award.

Ticket Prices

Adults

• Weekend pass (4 days): $99
• Thursday: $30
• Friday: $59
• Saturday: $59
• Sunday: free

Children

• Weekend pass (4 days): $69
• Thursday: $20
• Friday: $30
• Saturday: $30
• Sunday: free

Every paid admission includes one planetarium show. Prices and details can change, so check the official Dark Sky Discovery Days page before you book.

Why the new moon matters

Most people don’t think about the moon when they plan a stargazing trip and they show up on a full moon and wonder why they can only see a handful of stars. A bright moon acts like a flashlight. The organizers deliberately scheduled the festival on the new moon so the Milky Way, deep sky objects and if you’re lucky, the aurora have the darkest possible backdrop.

Local tips for the weekend

Dress much warmer than you think. September days in Waterton can be quite nice and even warm but the nights do get cold. People can underestimate how cold it can be standing outside for long periods of time. A warm jacket, glove and a toque are definitely a good idea.

Book your accommodation early. Rooms during this festival weekend can go quickly so it’s a good idea to book ahead of time.

Plan around shorter hours in town. In September a lot of businesses start to close early in the evenings especially the restaurants. Don’t expect to be able to walk into a restaurant for dinner at 10PM. A lot of places start to close at 8PM or even earlier in some cases.

Eat before the night events. It’s a good idea to eat a good meal before your even especially since so many places close early. We might be biased but we highly recommend Zum’s Eatery for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In September our hours are 8AM-8PM, 7 days a week.

Watch out for wildlife on the drive. Wildlife are very active around dusk so when heading to the viewing spots be sure to take it slow and keep your eyes peeled for animals on the road.

The rest of the year

The festival is the big one, but Dark Sky Guides runs stargazing tours and the Waterton Planetarium year-round. If your trip doesn’t line up with September, you can still get out under the stars with them.

Waterton in September is our favourite time of year. Fewer crowds, gold larches coming in, and a sky that reminds you how small you are. Come experience it all. Also be sure to check out Darkskyguides.ca-discoverydays to get your tickets and get all the information directly from the source.