Categories: Things To Do

You can spend the night on a celestial scavenger hunt at this Alberta event

Photo Via AstroStar/Shutterstock

The Alberta Star Party is coming to southern Alberta this September, bringing a whole weekend of stargazing, astronomy talks and camping under some seriously dark skies. The 40th annual event will take over A Stones Throw RV Campground, where the lack of bright city lights makes for ideal conditions to view the stars. And the event is open to anyone, so don’t feel like you need to be an astronomy expert to take part!

Now let’s take a look at everything happening once the stars come out.

What to expect at the Alberta Star Party

What is the Alberta Star Party?

The Alberta Star Party is an annual astronomy weekend organized by the Calgary Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC Calgary).

It takes place at A Stones Throw RV Campground in Milo, Alta, which is about a two-hour drive from Calgary. The 2026 edition will be the 40th year of the event and will run from Sept. 11 to Sept. 13. The event is set up as a camping weekend, so you can bring your RV or tent and stay at the campground during the party.

What can I do while I’m there?

The main attraction is, of course, the night sky, but there’s more going on throughout the weekend than simply setting up a telescope and waiting for it to get dark.

The weekend includes several talks covering different parts of astronomy, so you can spread some of your time learning before heading out to look at the stars yourself.

If you want to make your night of stargazing a little more of a challenge, you can take part in the Alberta Star Party Scavenger Hunt on both Friday and Saturday nights, which will run from sunset until sunrise. The hunt will give you 25 objects to find in the night sky, with a program and sky chart to help figure out where to look.

Saturday is the busiest day, with a farmers market at the campground in the morning, an astronomy equipment swap table, several speakers, door prizes in the afternoon, and another scavenger hunt to close out the night.

The weekend will wrap up on Sunday with a pancake breakfast before attendees pack up and head home.

Is the Alberta Star Party open to everyone?

Yes. You do not have to be an experienced observer to attend. According to organizers, the event is open to everyone, including families and children, although parents are responsible for their children’s safety and conduct throughout the event.

Do I need to bring my own telescope?

Don’t worry, you don’t need to own any type of astronomy equipment to attend. The weekend includes many guided astronomy activities that don’t involve having your own equipment, so you can still take part and learn about the sky even if you’re new to astronomy.

That said, if you already have a pair of binoculars or a telescope that you like using, you can bring them along for your own observing.

What else is there to do at the campground?

Since you’ll be spending the weekend at A Stones Throw RV Campground, you can make the most of the daytime hours before the stars come out. The campground has over 10 acres of fishing areas, a disc golf course, a ninja course, a kids’ bike park and a playground if you’re bringing the whole family along.

The campground also has heated washhouses, hot showers, flush toilets, free laundry and a store, which will come in handy if you’re staying for the full weekend.

If you’re bringing a dog, there are also two off-leash dog parks on the property, although dogs need to be kept on a leash around the astronomy observing areas.

Are there any housekeeping rules I should know about?

There are a few campground rules to keep in mind while you’re there, especially because the site is being used for astronomy. White lights need to be covered with red cellophane or something similar or turned off completely. That includes flashlights, headlights and lights inside your RV or tent, since bright light can interfere with other people’s night vision while they’re stargazing.

There are also quiet hours from one hour before sunset until 11 a.m., so loud music, generators and other noisy activities aren’t allowed during that time.

If you’re driving in or out after dark, there are some additional blackout rules worth knowing about. Vehicles are more than welcome to enter and leave until 11 p.m., but after 9 p.m., you’ll still need to cover your headlights and taillights and have someone guide the vehicle using a red flashlight.

And lastly, be sure to clean up after yourself and put garbage in the designated bins. There is an RV waste dump also available in Milo, Alta.

Do I have to camp?

If sleeping in a tent or RV isn’t really your thing, you can still attend the party and stay at a nearby hotel or motel instead. The Milo Hotel is located about 7.5 kilometres from the campground, which is about a seven-minute drive. It has five different rooms available, including single and double rooms.

You can also stay in Vulcan, which is 45 kilometres from the campground. Options here include the Vulcan Country Inn and the Wheatland Motel.

How do I get there?

A Stones Throw Campground is located in the Village of Milo, Alta, which is situated between Calgary and Lethbridge. To get there, you’ll need to have your own vehicle or have someone drive you, as there is no public transit service that takes you directly to the campground.

When is the Alberta Star Party?

The Alberta Star Party will run from Friday, Sept. 11, until Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. It will start at 6 p.m. on Friday with registration and wrap up on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

How much does it cost to attend?

Since the Alberta Star Party is set up as a weekend camping event, you need to pay for your event registration and your campsite separately. The Star Party itself costs $25 for a single registration or $35 for a family with early-bird pricing, while standard registration is $30 for a single or $40 for a family. If you want to wait until you arrive, on-site registration is $35 for a single attendee or $45 for a family.

The $45-per-night camping fee is separate from your Alberta Star Party registration and will have to be paid directly to A Stones Throw Campground. You’ll need to contact the campground directly to reserve your spot.