The Banff Mountain Festival team is incredibly excited to include a few new and perfectly aligned organizations with our existing leaders-in-class partnership group. Banff Mountain Festival partners align with festival values and support our mission and vision. Partners re-enforce our position and help carry our message forward. Only with the valuable support of our partners can the Festival continue to present world-class programming in Banff and around the world.

Mountain Culture and National Geographic are thrilled that The North Face will join National Geographic as a co-presenting partner of the Banff Mountain Film Festival and North American Tour. Mountain Culture has worked with The North Face on several initiatives, including partnership of the European touring exhibition of Portraits from the Summit, scholarship support for the Banff Adventure Filmmaker Workshop, and featuring many of The North Face athletes on the Festival stages. The North Face has remained supportive of the Festival’s values, methods and high quality of work over the past decade. Mountain Culture values The North Face’s commitment to their athletes, the environment, mountain culture, and their consumers.

The timing and conditions couldn’t have been better when the Festivals approached The North Face with an invitation to partner along side National Geographic as co-presenting sponsor. Aaron Carpenter, vice president, marketing for The North Face says, “The North Face is proud to be a co-presenting sponsor of the Banff Mountain Film Festival.  Exploration and adventure have been at the heart of The North Face brand for more than 40 years. Our alliance with the Banff Mountain Film Festival — and their support for the documentation of outdoor expeditions through film, photography, and the written word — is a natural fit. We look forward to connecting with the festival fans at Banff and the communities around the globe who will be experiencing this tour and its compelling content.”

Central Asia Institute and Three Cups of Tea will join Mountain Culture as a major partner of the 2009/10 Banff Mountain Festival and North American Tour. Central Asia Institute is excited about the opportunity to promote peace with books, and successfully bring education and hope to remote communities in central Asia. Greg Mortenson, Three Cups of Tea author and founder of the Central Asia Institute, was a guest speaker at the 2007 Banff Mountain Book Festival, receiving a standing ovation for his inspiring presentation. Affiliate organization Pennies for Peace, along with Mortenson’s daughter Amira presented at the Banff Elementary School. Banff school children have been forever touched by the message they heard that day.

Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time was published in 1996 and is a New York Times best selling book. Through Greg Mortenson’s dedication and indefatigable efforts he has established approximately 79 schools, many for girls, throughout Pakistan and Central Asia.

Redwood Creek Wines joins us in 2009 as the official wine of the Banff Mountain Festival and as co-presenting sponsor of the Banff Mountain Book Festival. Redwood Creek shares the Festival’s passion for enjoying and preserving the outdoors, and sharing stories of mountain and adventure, while being recognized for producing award-winning wines.

We are extremely excited to collaborate with The North Face, Central Asia Institute/Three Cups of Tea, and Redwood Creek to strengthen our programs and to share our messages and stories with Festival and tour audiences

The 2009 Banff Mountain Festival is presented by National Geographic, The North Face, and Redwood Creek Wines; sponsored by Deuter, OR, Polartec, and Central Asia Institute/Three Cups of Tea; with support from MSR, Fernie Alpine Resort, Petzl, World Expeditions, Mountain Hardwear, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Alpine Club of Canada, Big Rock Brewery, Café Books, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Calgary Herald, and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.