From October 30 to November 1, 2026, some of the biggest names in figure skating touch down in Kelowna, British Columbia, as Prospera Place hosts the 2026 Skate Canada International. It's the second stop on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, bringing more than 50 top athletes, including Olympians and World medallists, to compete in men's, women's, pairs, and ice dance for points toward the Grand Prix Final in Chongqing, China. And you can watch it all right here in Kelowna.

Whether you're a lifelong figure skating fan or simply curious about catching world-class competition close to home, here's everything you need to know to plan your visit, from where to sit and eat to what else the Okanagan Valley has going on that weekend.

Tickets - Where to Stay - Things to Do - Getting Here & Around

About 2026 Skate Canada International

Skate Canada International is the second stop on the 2026–27 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, a six-event international circuit that moves from country to country each fall. Skaters earn points toward qualification based on how they place at each event, and the top six in every discipline (men's, women's, pairs, and ice dance) advance to the Grand Prix Final, held this year in Chongqing, China, from December 10 to 13.

This isn't Kelowna's first time on the Grand Prix map. Prospera Place has hosted Skate Canada International before, including in 2014 and 2019, and welcomes the event back once again for 2026.
 

Who to Watch

The competing figure skating athletes are stacked with Olympic and World-level talent. Canada's reigning pairs champions, Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud, who also earned bronze at Worlds, lead the home team, alongside men's champion Stephen Gogolev, who placed fifth at this year's Olympics. On the international side, keep an eye on Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, fresh off winning last season's Grand Prix Final, and American skater Isabeau Levito, runner-up at last year's Skate Canada International.

For the full athlete list, updated schedule, and ticket details, visit our event page or the official Skate Canada International site.

How to Purchase Tickets

Tickets for 2026 Skate Canada International are on sale now through Select Your Tickets. Single session tickets range from $30 to $75 plus taxes and fees, depending on seating zone, while all-event packages hold the same seat for every session and include admission to official practices. It's worth planning around the event as a whole rather than a single athlete, since entries can change right up to event week.

Where It's Happening: Prospera Place & Downtown Kelowna

^{Photo: Ken Hagen}

All 2026 Skate Canada International competition, plus official practices, takes place at Prospera Place, right in Downtown Kelowna. Best known as the home rink of the WHL's Kelowna Rockets, the arena regularly hosts everything from major concerts to international sporting events, and this fall it's figure skating's turn.

Prospera Place's downtown location means you don't need a car to make the most of the weekend. The arena is an easy walk from Bernard Avenue's restaurants and shops and the downtown waterfront, so pre- and post-competition plans practically make themselves. For a fuller sense of the neighbourhood, our Downtown Kelowna guide covers the area in more depth.

Where to Stay

Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley offer everything from boutique downtown hotels to lakeside resorts, so there's a fit for every travel style. Book early, since Skate Canada International draws visitors from across the country and around the world. Browse the full range of places to stay in Kelowna to find your home base for the weekend.

Downtown Kelowna Hotels

Staying downtown puts you within easy walking distance of Prospera Place, Bernard Avenue, and the waterfront, so pre- and post-competition plans don't require a car. This includes Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort and The Royal Kelowna, which are located across the street from Prospera Place. Other great downtown options include:

• Hotel Zed Kelowna
• Prestige Beach House
• The Royal Anne

Hotels Nearby

A short walk (about 15 to 20 minutes) or rideshare from Prospera Place, a handful of well-known Kelowna properties along Harvey Avenue offer a good-value alternative to staying directly downtown:

• Accent Inns
• Coast Capri Hotel
• Econo Lodge Inn & Suites

Lakeside & Resort-Style Stays

For a quieter home base, the Okanagan Valley and Kelowna's lakefront hotels and resorts offer a relaxed counterpoint to competition days, most just a short drive, bus, or rideshare from Prospera Place. Stay lakeside at The Cove Lakeside Resort in West Kelowna or Manteo at Eldorado Resort or Hotel Eldorado in Kelowna.
 

Vacation Rentals

There are also plenty of vacation and short-term rentals to check out for a bit more space and flexibility. Okanagan Vacation Home Rentals and Kelowna Resort Accommodations both manage vacation properties across the city, while Playa del Sol Resort in the Mission offers self-contained condos with lake access. Many Kelowna properties are also available to book through Airbnb and Vrbo. Browse our full list of vacation rentals in Kelowna for more options.

Things to Do in Kelowna During Skate Canada International

Come for Skate Canada, stay for everything else the Okanagan Valley has to offer. Kelowna pairs world-class competition with award-winning wineries, a walkable downtown core, and easy access to the wider Okanagan, so there's plenty to fill the time between sessions.
 

Where to Eat & Drink Near Prospera Place

Downtown Kelowna's restaurant scene is an easy walk from the arena, and as part of Canada's only UNESCO City of Gastronomy, there's no shortage of options between sessions. Bernard Avenue and the surrounding blocks are packed with restaurants, cafés, and cocktail bars, while a short walk or drive north puts you in Kelowna's North End brewery district for a post-competition pint. Fuel up before morning sessions at one of downtown's independent coffee shops for easy energy for a full day of skating. Some great nearby options include:

• Bouchons Bistro
• Bread Co
• Derrick's Steakhouse
• Kelowna Beer Institute
• Train Station Pub
• OAK + CR Social Kitchen & Wine Bar

Late October also lands right at the tail end of harvest season, when wineries are buzzing with activity as they turn this year's grapes into wine, and local menus lean into fall-inspired flavours and seasonal produce. It's a great time to pair a competition day with a wine tasting or a harvest-focused meal.

Worth venturing a little further, too. Kelowna's other neighbourhoods each bring their own character to the table, and nearby communities like West Kelowna, Peachland, and Lake Country add even more to explore, from acclaimed wineries to cozy local favourites. Kelowna and the Okanagan's breweries, cideries and distilleries, scattered across the region, offer a change of pace.

With three full days in town, there's time to see more of the food and drink scene than just what's closest to the rink. Browse our full Food & Drink page for the complete list of restaurants, wineries, and craft beverage stops across the Okanagan.
 

Fall Attractions in Kelowna & the Okanagan Valley

Late October and early November bring cooler, quieter days to the Okanagan, perfect for slower-paced exploring between competitions. If the skies are clear, an afternoon hike up Knox Mountain Park rewards you with sweeping views over Okanagan Lake, and a walk along the Downtown Kelowna Waterfront Promenade makes for an easy way to stretch your legs.

If timing lines up, keep an eye out for golden larch trees, which typically peak mid-to-late October and can be seen while exploring the Myra Canyon Trestles. The Cultural District is another good option, an easy walk from Prospera Place and home to the Kelowna Art Gallery, Okanagan Heritage Museum, Rotary Centre for the Arts, and more. You can add in a museum or art gallery visit, or catch a live performance.

With cooler conditions in the forecast, it's worth having an indoor plan too. Kelowna's indoor activities range from laser tag and wine tasting rooms to escape rooms and climbing gyms, easy to fold into a day around the rink. You can read our indoor activities guide for more inspiration.

Or take a different kind of immersion in nature altogether: book a session at Löyly Floating Sauna, where a Finnish-style sauna and a cold plunge right into Okanagan Lake make for a memorable way to warm up between sessions. Explore more wellness experiences here.

Expect daytime highs around 6°C to 13°C (42°F to 55°F), dropping toward freezing overnight, so pack layers. For more on what's on around the city this time of year, check out our guides to October and November in Kelowna.

Halloween Weekend in Kelowna

Saturday, October 31 falls right in the middle of the competition, so Halloween is part of the mix this year. A couple of local farms make it easy to fit in some pumpkin-patch time between sessions: Kelowna Fruit n' Veggies, just 10 minutes from downtown, has a five-acre corn maze and pre-picked pumpkins, while McMillan Farms, a short drive from downtown, offers hayrides, a corn maze, and its own pumpkin patch.

If you have some extra time, it's worth venturing north to Davison Orchards in Vernon, where you can pick your own pumpkin, hop on an orchard tour, and visit the animal barn amid the fall colours. Their season wraps for the year on October 31, so plan a Friday or Saturday visit. Further north in Armstrong, Caravan Farm Theatre brings its own kind of autumn magic: an outdoor stage and barn setting paired with horse-drawn rides and spooky haunted houses make for an immersive night out. It's built for adults and older kids alike; worth checking their current schedule, since the show changes each season.

Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley typically have a handful of Halloween-specific events each year too, from haunted houses to family-friendly attractions around the city. Since we're still a ways out from October 2026, details for this year haven't been posted yet. Check our events calendar closer to the date for the full rundown of what's happening that weekend.

Getting Here & Around

How to Get Here (From Afar)

Kelowna is easy to reach however you're headed in. The most direct route is by air: Kelowna International Airport (YLW) takes direct flights from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Victoria, and it's just 15 minutes from downtown, with car rentals, taxis, and rideshares all available right at the terminal.

If you'd rather drive, Kelowna sits about 4.5 hours from Vancouver via Highway 1 and the Okanagan Connector (Highway 97C), and about 7.5 hours from Calgary via Highway 1 through Revelstoke. Coming from Vernon, it's a quick 45-minute drive down Highway 97. Bus service is also available through Ebus and other regional operators for those who'd rather skip the drive altogether.
 

How to Get Around in Kelowna

Once you're here, Prospera Place's downtown location makes getting around simple.

• By car: Paid parking is available at several City of Kelowna-owned downtown lots and parkades, and metered street parking. You can purchase parking through the PayByPhone app or at the metre. Parking is expected to be limited over the event weekend, so we recommend using alternate transportation where possible. You can view all parking options on the City of Kelowna's website, including:
  • Waterfront Park Lot
  • Cawston Ave & St Paul Lot
  • Library Parkade
  • Memorial Parkade
• Car rentals: Want to explore beyond downtown but arriving without a vehicle? Budget Car & Truck Rental has options right at Kelowna International Airport and around the city.
• By transit: BC Transit's Queensway Exchange, Kelowna's main downtown hub, is a short walk from the arena, with routes connecting to hotels, the airport, and neighbourhoods across the city. Learn more about the routes and schedules here.
• By rideshare or taxi: Widely available throughout Kelowna, West Kelowna, and Lake Country.
  • Rideshare: Uber, URide
  • Taxi: Kelowna Cabs, Checkmate Cabs, Current Taxi, and WestCabs.
• On foot: Downtown Kelowna is compact and walkable, so many hotels, restaurants, and the arena are all within easy reach without a car.

Ready to Watch the World's Best Take the Ice?

^{Skate Canada International 2019 in Kelowna. Photo: Shoot the Breeze}

From October 30 to November 1, 2026, Kelowna becomes the centre of the figure skating world for a weekend, and there's a whole city built around a great trip while you're here. Grab your tickets, book your stay, and start planning your visit to Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)