Alberta Biodiversity Festival
Closed for the Holidays: December 16 - January 3
It’s in our nature
Details for 2026 event coming soon
Bow Habitat Station and the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo are teaming up for a wild celebration of Alberta’s unique biodiversity. This family-friendly event is filled with hands-on experiences including immersive games, creative crafting, and indoor and outdoor activities that explore Alberta’s diversity of landscapes and the even greater variety of species that call them home.
Peer into the hidden world of Alberta’s ecosystems under the microscope - from intricate parasites to native plant life. With 10 community exhibitors offering interactive displays, giveaways, prize draws, and activities for all, it’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience Alberta’s biodiversity in action.
Featured Experiences
Thank you to all our 2025 Alberta Biodiversity Festival community partners and exhibitors for helping us celebrate Alberta’s rich biodiversity and inspire a deeper connection to nature through these incredible experiences.
- Meet Vinny, a peregrine falcon - the world’s fastest animal, who can reach speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour when diving to capture prey.
- Craft a bracelet, necklace, or keychain using wolf willow seeds— a traditional material in Indigenous beadwork — while exploring the plant’s prairie roots, seasonal cycle, and enduring presence in both culture and ecology.
- Get hands-on with Alberta’s backyard wildlife by feeling real skulls, pelts, tracks, and scat, unlocking stories of the animals behind them—their identities and roles in the ecosystem.
- Join the battle against invasive species with native flora that attracts birds, bees, and other beneficial insects—and take home seeds to start your own wildlife-friendly garden.
- Take part in a feeding frenzy with thousands of hungry rainbow trout in the Fish Hatchery.
- Get eye to eye with over 20 Alberta fish species in our freshwater aquariums.
Forest & Furious: Wildfire Edition
From full-sized "Helicopters & Hoses" (a twist on snakes and ladders) to water games and forest ecology displays, this stop is all about the science of wildfire and those who fight them.
Falcon Flash: Meet Vinny
Get up close with Vinny, a peregrine falcon and the world’s fastest animal—reaching speeds of up to 300 km/h in a dive as he hunts from the skies.
Beaver Necessities for Responsible Recreation
See how the beavers, fish and many other species play their part in Alberta’s wild story—learn easy ways to help all wildlife coexist peacefully and recreate responsibly.
Protecting our Forests
Step inside Alberta Wildfire’s interactive van to discover how natural disturbances like wildfires can help forests thrive - and even try on the real gear.
Connecting with Alberta's Forests
Explore the Rockies with a biofact match-up, guide a black bear through the seasons in a custom board game, and add your splash to the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo’s community forest banner.
Parasitic Puzzles
Become a real-life parasite detective—peer through microscopes at intriguing fish parasites, using researcher DNA techniques to uncover their identity and match parasites to their Alberta hosts.
Cave of Crafty Bats
Take flight into the secret world of bats as you explore Alberta’s bat biodiversity, species at risk and conservation actions you can take. Craft your own "flappy bat" to take home or earn batty stickers once you’ve learned a new fact or two about these fascinating creatures.
Meet Alberta's At-Risk Wildlife
Get to know the black swift, Westslope cutthroat trout, and grizzly bear — species at risk in Alberta’s national parks. Spin the quiz wheel, explore props and models, and discover how small actions can make a big impact. Plus, take home stickers, tattoos, and simple tips to protect these wild locals with Parks Canada.
Community Event Exhibitors
Meet the organizations partnering with us to bring this event to life. From conservation and education to hands-on activities and cultural experiences, these exhibitors are helping us celebrate nature, community, and connection.
FAQ
No, we've allocated tickets exclusively for members! Simply arrive on the event day, and we'll take care of everything else.
While you enjoy the convenience of no pre-booking, we recommend that your non-member guests secure their tickets beforehand. This ensures everyone can fully enjoy their time exploring Bow Habitat Station together.
We strongly encourage pre-purchasing tickets as special events can sell out.
Admission includes entry to the Discovery Centre and one entry per person to feed the fish in the Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery.
You can expect to spend approximately 1 hour in the Discovery Centre and 45 minutes outdoors.
Limited free parking is available in the lot for Pearce Estate Park. Please consider carpooling or other means of transportation.
Tickets are sold in half-hour increments starting at 9:30 AM and ending at 3:00 PM. Last entry is at 3:30 PM and event closes at 4:00 PM.
Entry is only guaranteed within 30-minutes of the time identified on their ticket. Entry outside your identified ticket time is not guaranteed or may be subject to a wait.
- Refunds will not be provided to late arrivals or no-shows on the day of the event.
Bow Habitat Station offers light snacks and refreshments for purchase.
Promotion coupons and vouchers are not valid for this event. With extra activities in place, discounts are not applicable to any admission rates for this event (i.e. Canoo, Fee Assistance/Rec Card, Access2).
Due to space constraints, we ask that you do not bring your stroller or wagon. If you do bring a stroller/wagon, it must remain outdoors. Bow Habitat Station and the Government of Alberta is not responsible for any lost, missing, or damaged personal items.
Admission to Bow Habitat Station on September 20, 2025, is under special event pricing which includes your one-time admission to the Fish Hatchery and admission to the Discovery Centre.
Single admission to the Fish Hatchery is not available on special event days.
Bow Habitat Station and the public Fish Hatchery are fully wheelchair accessible. An elevator is available for visitor use to access the Discovery Centre spanning two floors.
Updated: Sep 23, 2025