This beautiful immersive lantern walk in Banff is sold out — but you can see it here

Find out what you're missing if you live outside the Bow Valley by watching the video at the top of this story to see an immersive art exhibit in Banff that's helping locals find the Christmas spirit.

In Search of Christmas Spirit features giant illuminated sculptures of the animals of Banff National Park as well as sound and music, set out along a 600-metre walk from Banff Avenue Square to the front gates of the Park Administration Building grounds.

• Watch the video above to see the beautiful art exhibit in Banff

Banff and Lake Louise Tourism, which presented the project, called it a "sensory extravaganza of light and sound."

But if you don't already have a ticket, it's too late. You'll be turned away without a reservation. The exhibit is sold out and at this point restricted only to locals. The town is strongly discouraging visitors in Banff to keep both the community and visitors safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

And even the lucky few who are allowed must of course follow all current Alberta Health Services and local COVID-19 public health rules. A maximum of six people are allowed in any one group and all members of the group must be from the same household. They must maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from any others on the trail. Organizers have also limited ticketed timeslots to up to 20 people at a time.

Organizers hope to offer it again once it's safe to open it up to a broader audience.

Jason Carter, a local Indigenous sculptor and painter, designed the illuminated sculptures. Carter's works have been exhibited in the Royal Alberta Museum, the Art Gallery of Alberta, the Art Gallery of Calgary and the Indian and Northern Affairs Public Art Display in Ottawa, among other places.

Bridget Ryan was instrumental as the project's art director, among other things collaboratively writing the story, and working with Carter and the Old Trout Puppet Workshop Society to design and build the puppets.