The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour and the Rotary Club of Grand Junction have partnered for 10 consecutive years to bring a collection of films about nature and the outdoors to the Grand Valley and to Colorado Mesa University (CMU). This year’s film series featured four nights of films that kicked off with a showing on CMU’s campus. Across the four shows, over 2,300 patrons attended, 400 of whom attended the showing at CMU.
The CMU Outdoor Program and the CMU Center for Global Learning and Engagement were invited by the Rotary Club of Grand Junction to act as two of nine beneficiaries. Other beneficiaries work with youth programs, global education, outdoor education, community health and conservation. CMU also served as support for all the film showings hosted in Grand Junction. Faculty and students helped with event planning, tabling, sponsor recruitment, student volunteer recruitment and gathering raffle prizes from local businesses.
Assistant Coordinator for the Outdoor Program (OP), Irah Wooten, represented the OP on the planning committee. Wooten joined the Rotary Club of Grand Junction to discuss not only how the event would happen, but how the OP would be represented at the festival.
“I personally felt that we had a voice through the whole planning process,” Wooten said. “We were blessed with the opportunity to share the OP story and legacy with the public.”
The Banff Film Festival served as a recognition opportunity for programs throughout CMU. The OP has showcased its organization through multiple events, promoting their affordable, safe and environmentally conscious outdoor trips. The Banff Film Festival highlights the outdoors, which pairs perfectly with the OP’s mission to inspire growth and foster connections through a shared love for being outside.
The festival on campus took place in the Meyer Ballroom, where about 400 people gathered to socialize, learn and watch six short films ranging across all areas of nature and the outdoors.
“The stoke was high that night, and there were hundreds of smiling faces in attendance,” said Wooten. “I walked away with strong connections to new friends, collaboration opportunities and an intense feeling of gratitude towards the Grand Valley community.”
Along with the OP, the Center for Global Learning and Engagement helped put on the event and acted as a beneficiary, as well. The Center handles international admissions and partnered with Banff to ensure success by giving itself a platform and funding. The Director of International Student Services and Study Abroad, Annie Gingerich, personally assisted in the event, representing the Center for Global Learning and Engagement.
“Without proceeds from this amazing event and fundraiser, our returned study abroad students, international students and friends of the program would not have the opportunity to engage in the mentoring, education, outdoor and intercultural activities and relationships they do,” said Gingerich. “The CMU Center for Global Learning and Engagement plans to use the proceeds to fund campus-wide cultural programming like the monthly Cultural Café, new-student welcome baskets and the International Student Peer Mentor Program.”
The Center for Global Learning and Engagement program pairs American student volunteers with incoming international students to foster meaningful intercultural relationships. CMU is a diverse campus, with students from all different types of cultures and backgrounds.
The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival began in 1986, with the hope of sparking conversation and creating an outreach program to bring the festival to other communities. The festival’s organizers wanted to share their efforts and talents of the most compelling mountain filmmakers to share their story for entertainment, creativity and impact. Today, the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour brings mountain films to thousands of people around the world. CMU encourages students to explore and demonstrate courage through all creative works. Hosting the Banff Film Festival allows students to apply CMU's values and support an impactful organization.
Local sponsors in 2026 allow Banff to continue in the Grand Valley and at CMU. See a list of these sponsors below:
- Community Hospital
- Local Television Stations (KREX 5 News, FOX 4 Grand Junction, MyNetworkTV, WesternSlopeNow.com)
- Mary’s Mountain Cookies
- 103.9 The Planet
- Magic 93.1
- Enzo’s Ristorante Italiano & Stone Fired Pizza
- Thomas Hunn Jewelers
- ASC Atlasta Solar Center
- Delta Health
- Downtown Hotels Grand Junction on Historic Main Street (Springhill Suites Marriott, Hampton Inn by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott)
- Handlebar Tap House
- Sharon M. Woodward (In honor of Edwin A. Woodward)
- ISAGENIX
- Pat Tucker (In honor of Gerry Tucker, who loved skiing at Banff)
- Avalon Theatre Foundation
Along with local Grand Valley organizations that benefited from 2026 ticket sales:
- Colorado Canyons Association (Focuses on National Conservation Lands in western Colorado)
- Colorado National Monument Association (Supports the monument's endeavors surrounding educational, interpretive and scientific programs)
- Western Colorado Conservation Corps (Works on physical labor projects in western Colorado wilderness)
- Colorado Mesa University Outdoor Program (CMU’s headquarters for outdoor adventure and education)
- Colorado Mesa University Center for Global Learning and Engagement (Advances and coordinates international education opportunities both on campus and abroad)
- COPMOBA (Nonprofit of volunteer mountain bikers that advocate for trails in western Colorado)
- EUREKA! Environmental Institute (Serves over 500 students through week-long summer camps that give youth the opportunity to explore and learn about the outdoors)
- Museums of Western Colorado (Connects all ages with the landscapes, science and heritage of the Western Slope)
- Riverside Educational Centers [REC] (Serves Mesa County students K-12 with high-quality academic and extracurricular experiences during out-of-school hours.