Jasper, AB, Saturday October 26 - Chris Hadfield, Canada's first astronaut to walk in space, has accepted a new mission - to be the headline guest and principal speaker at Jasper Dark Sky Festival 2014.

Having spent 146 days steering the largest spaceship ever built through outer space, Hadfield is a unique Canadian to have been in such close proximity to the many stars and planets visible from Jasper National Park's Dark Sky Preserve - as officially accredited by the Royal Astronomical Society.

Already boasting an astronomy all-star lineup, the fourth annual Jasper Dark Sky Festival will see Chris Hadfield host a
private event held at a secret Jasper location, on Saturday October 25 2014.  Visitors will also be able to take a unique
opportunity to meet and mingle with Hadfield during various events taking place over the course of the Festival.

Speaking of the announcement, Mary Darling, CEO Tourism Jasper comments, "to have such an icon of space travel and Canada's most renowned astronaut joining us to headline the 2014 Jasper Dark Sky Festival will no doubt, be the pinnacle of the event to date. We know that having Chris Hadfield as our principal guest will add yet another dimension to an event that is rapidly building momentum within Alberta and beyond, ensuring that Jasper Dark Sky Festival continues to resonate with visitors year after year."

Home-grown hero Hadfield was raised in Ontario before going on to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces, earning an engineering degree at Royal Military College and then later being accepted into the Canadian Space Agency. 

As Canada's first spaceship commander, Hadfield and his crew set records for science and research completed. He also gained huge social media notoriety on Facebook and Twitter by posting insightful photos of Earth from outer space and for a music video recorded on the Space Station - making him a globally-recognized personality.

To subscribe for email updates on Chris Hadfield's appearances at the 2014 Jasper Dark Sky Festival visit www.jasperdarkskyfest.com.

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Media Resources

• Visit www.jasperdarkskyfest.com for more information on the Festival.
• Additional b-roll and images available at: www.barberstock.com/tourismjasper
• Look for hashtag: #MyJasperDarkSky. 
• Follow Tourism Jasper's media team:
  @JasperABMedia