An Out-of-This-World Experience at Dinosaur Provincial Park!
The Astronomical Extravaganza returns August 21-23, 2026! Join us and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for a weekend of solar viewing, celestial music, and deep-sky stargazing in the heart of the Alberta Badlands.
Whether you're a budding astronaut or a seasoned stargazer, we have a galaxy of free and paid activities for all ages. Check back soon for more programs to be added.
Friday, August 21
7:00 pm: Music in the Badlands at the Visitor Center
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- Experience the magic of Dinosaur Provincial Park in a whole new way! Join us for an unforgettable evening of live music and captivating storytelling as the sun sets behind the iconic Alberta badlands. Performer: Mister Bird - $12 per person - Tickets
9:45 pm: Stars and Stories at the Visitor Center
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- Join Park Interpreter Dustin Riley to hear epic tales of ancient heroes and learn the constellations that immortalized them in the sky. Storytelling, science, and telescopes will take you on a journey through the stars. Free, All Ages, No Registration Required.
Saturday, August 22
9:30 am – 11:30 am: Flappy Bat Craft in the Visitor Center Legacy Room
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- Craft a nocturnal creature with the Alberta Community Bat Program and get to know the charismatic flying mammals that call Alberta home. Free, All Ages, Drop In.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm: What’s Up in the Night Sky in the Visitor Center Theatre
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- Join Steve Donaldson of the Calgary Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) to learn how to find your way around the late summer night sky. This talk will showcase some of the more spectacular deep sky astronomical objects that can be seen with binoculars, a small telescope, or with just your own eyes. A little closer to home, we will also talk a bit about the Moon, Venus and Saturn, which will also be visible. This talk will be a great primer for the star nights that will be offered this weekend. Free, All Ages, No Registration Required. Please note that while the activity is free, access to the visitor center galleries is not included with attendance.
12:45 pm - 1:45 pm: Bats of Alberta Talk in the Visitor Center Theatre
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- Join the Alberta Community Bat Program for a presentation on Alberta's bat species, their incredible adaptations, the threats they face, and what we can do to keep their populations flying high. Free, All Ages, No Registration Required. Please note that while the activity is free, access to the visitor center galleries is not included with attendance.
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Stars by Daylight outside the Visitor Center
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- Join amateur astronomers from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada as we take a closer look at our favourite star, the sun. Telescopes paired with an iPad will be set up to safely view the sun and sunspots outside the Visitor Center on a drop-in basis. Free, All Ages, Drop In.
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Make a Moth Craft in the Visitor Center Legacy Room
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- Famous for their nighttime nectar seeking, love of lamps, and feathery antennae fashion, moths are certainly the insect showstoppers of the darkest hours. Come create your own marvelous moth and learn a little about their mysterious lives. Free, All Ages, Drop In.
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Kingdom of the Cretaceous at the Dead Lodge Canyon Amphitheatre
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- Grab your swords and shields and join our park interpreters on an epic theatrical quest to find the bone in the stone and defend Dinosaur Provincial Park from its would be invaders. Free, All Ages, Amphitheatre show.
8:30pm- 10:30pm: Celestial Strings in the Palaeontological Preserve
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- A night of classical and contemporary music, exploring the night sky and the beautiful badlands. Registration Required: Information & Tickets
8:30pm- 10:00pm: Bat Walk at the Dead Lodge Canyon Amphitheatre
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- Join the Alberta Community Bat Program for a Bat Walk through the preferred habitats of these elusive nighttime creatures. Using acoustic monitors, you will be able to hear the sounds that usually go unregistered by human ears and identify the bats that are swooping through the sky above your head. Free, All Ages, No Registration Required.
Sunday, August 23
9:30am – 11:30 pm: Astronomical Impacts outside the Visitor Center
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- What do celestial objects and dinosaurs have in common? One big extinction event! Join us outside the Visitor Center to learn about the infamous meteor that palaeontologist believe made an impactful impression on prehistoric life at the end of the Cretaceous. Free, All Ages, Drop In.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm: The Impacts of Light Pollution on the Natural World Talk in the Visitor Center Theatre
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- Join Roland Dechesne from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for a presentation about modern anthropogenic lighting disrupts the natural order of darkness and light that life has evolved with. Learn about the cascading negative impacts on plants, animals and even human health. Our modern society often demands nighttime illumination for safety, but is often ‘blind’ to the hidden costs of the ubiquitous artificial daytime that is created. This talk will examine a number of harms that ALAN (Artificial Light at Night) generates in ecological systems, and what steps can be taken to mitigate these effects/ Free, All Ages, No Registration Required. Please note that while the activity is free, access to the visitor center galleries is not included with attendance.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Indoor Planetarium in the Visitor Center Legacy Room
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- Free, All Ages, No Registration Required
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Sounds of the Night in the Visitor Center Theatre
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- The night is anything but silent. Join us as we uncover the symphony of sounds coming from the nocturnal wildlife in and around Dinosaur Provincial Park. Discover the animals behind the mysterious bumps, hoots and calls that make the noises of the night. Free, All Ages, No Registration Required. Please note that while the activity is free, access to the visitor center galleries is not included with attendance.
7:15 – 8:15 pm: The Dark Night Returns at the Dead Lodge Canyon Amphitheatre
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- Lost Stars. Blinding Lights. A park in Peril! Join Park Interpreters and the White Crowned Sparrow on a quest through Dinosaur Provincial Park to discover the ultimate nocturnal hero, the Dark Knight. Free, All Ages, Amphitheatre Show.
9:30 pm – 11:00 pm: Public Star Viewing in the Day Use Area by the Boat Launch
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- Explore the night sky through powerful telescopes with amateur astronomers from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada! All ages and knowledge levels welcome. This is your chance to see celestial bodies up close and learn about the galaxy you call home. Free, All Ages, Drop In.
