👑 Cancun, Cabo and more from Regina

Regina's friendly local roundup | Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Happy Wednesday, Regina! 👋

We're in the sweet spot of late summer, sunny skies, 26 to 27°C for the rest of the week, and just enough on the calendar to fill every evening. WestJet just handed Regina flyers a big reason to start planning their next getaway, and there's a packed slate of community events to close out the week.

In today's edition:

✈️ More WestJet flights to Mexico, Calgary and Phoenix land at YQR this winter
🎬 Summer Bash YQR: how one neighbourhood barbecue became nine years of free movies in the park
🪂 Regina's Easter Seals Drop Zone returns to Hill Centre Tower II Saturday
🎉 I Love Regina Day turns 24 this Saturday in Victoria Park
📅 Your full events guide for August 19 - 21

News & Community

✈️ CITY UPDATE

Regina Airport's Winter Flight Lineup Just Got a Lot Bigger

Travellers looking for sunshine this winter have more nonstop options out of YQR. Regina Airport Authority CEO James Bogusz confirmed WestJet is adding daily flights to Cancun during peak winter weeks, five-day-a-week service to Puerto Vallarta, a returning weekly flight to Mazatlan, and a brand new route to Cabo starting in December. Calgary service is also getting a nearly 20 per cent boost in winter seats.

The growth follows five straight months of passenger increases at the airport, including an 8.3 per cent year-over-year jump in July despite high fuel costs. Phoenix service moves to three days a week for much of the winter, and daily flights to Minneapolis are returning too. Bogusz says the airport is still working on adding new sun destinations, so keep an eye out for more news before the snow flies.

🎬 COMMUNITY

Summer Bash YQR: How a Backyard-Sized Idea Turned Into One of Regina's Biggest Free Traditions

Back in 2017, Adam Hicks expected a few thousand people to show up for a simple neighbourhood get-together in Harbour Landing. Over 9,200 showed up instead, and Summer Bash YQR was born. What started as one barbecue has grown into a non-profit running dozens of free events across Regina and area every year, all built by volunteers working the project off the side of their desks.

The organization's Movies in the Park series is its best-known feature, with roughly 300 screenings held in 100 to 150 parks over the past decade, from White City to Regina Beach. About two-thirds of Regina's community associations now lean on Summer Bash to run their events, and the group's new legacy fund is already sending grants to organizations like the Artesian and Cathedral Village Arts Festival. Seven free movie nights remain this season, starting Thursday with Hoppers at Horizon Station Park.

🪂 COMMUNITY

Regina's Superheroes Take the Leap for SaskAbilities This Saturday

The Easter Seals Drop Zone returns to downtown Regina this Saturday, sending dozens of participants rappelling 21 storeys, about 260 feet, down Hill Centre Tower II. Organized by SaskAbilities and presented by Sun Life and Harvard Developments, the fundraiser has raised more than $2 million since 2007 for programs like Camp Easter Seal, Saskatchewan's only fully accessible summer camp.

Each participant raises at least $1,000, with funds also supporting adaptive technology services and youth recreation programs across the province. SaskAbilities community relations coordinator Donna Mouflier says the event is about facing fears while making a real difference, and this year's rappellers include everyone from first-timers to six-time veterans. Spectators are welcome to cheer from street level for free, with entertainment running throughout the day.

🎉 COMMUNITY

I Love Regina Day Marks 24 Years of Civic Pride This Saturday

Victoria Park hosts the 24th annual I Love Regina Day this Saturday, a free, family-friendly celebration that's been a Mayor's Office tradition since 2002. The day kicks off with the I Love Regina Run & Walk at 8:30 a.m., followed by exhibitors, kids' activities, live entertainment on the main stage, and a free BBQ from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. while supplies last.

Dozens of local organizations will be on site, from the Regina Public Library to the RCMP Pipes and Drums, alongside face painting, a petting zoo and a hands-on civic art project inviting residents to help build a collaborative artwork. It's a full day of Regina showing off exactly why so many of us love it here.

What's On in Regina

August 19 to 21, 2026

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19

🧠 Science Connections: Is Your Brain Aging Well? | Saskatchewan Science Centre | 2903 Powerhouse Drive | 10:30 AM | $13.99 | A University of Regina researcher walks adults through the latest science on keeping your brain healthy, with coffee and exhibit access included.
Details

🛒 Regina Farmers' Market | Pat Fiacco Plaza, 2190 12th Avenue | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Free admission | Local produce, baked goods and crafts from area vendors. This is a recurring market with no single-event page.
Market info

🚔 RCMP Depot Tours and 🎨 Games in the Park continue today (see Thursday listing).

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20

🎬 RIFFA Screening: Illustrated Legacies | MacKenzie Art Gallery | 3475 Albert Street | Free | A documentary tracing BC coastal trade routes and Indigenous alliances before Canada's founding.
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🎥 Family Fun Thursdays in Wascana | Wascana Centre | Free | A weekly summer tradition of family-friendly programming on the water. Wascana's own event page is currently down, so this links to Tourism Regina's listing instead.
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💃 Zumba on the Plaza | Pat Fiacco Plaza | Free | A free outdoor dance fitness session open to all levels.
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🍋 Library Lemonade Stand | Wascana Outdoor Pool, 2400 Wascana Drive | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Free, ages 12 and under | A cool drink and a fun outdoor activity to mark the last stretch of summer.
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🎞️ RPL Film Theatre: Mamma Mia! | Central Library | 1:00 PM | Free | A daytime screening of the beloved musical comedy.
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🎨 Games in the Park | Victoria Park | Tuesday–Friday through Aug 28 | Free | Drop-in lawn games and activities for all ages, downtown.
Details

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21

🎪 Cirque Italia Water Circus Platinum | REAL District | 7:30 PM | Paid admission
A big-top water circus running through Monday, with acrobatics staged over a stage full of water.
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🎬 RIFFA Screening: A Cree Approach – nêhiyawîhtwâwin | MacKenzie Art Gallery | 3475 Albert Street | Free | A documentary following one woman's journey to reconnect with the Cree language.
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🤘 Weapon World, Herb, Half Dead and more | The Exchange (Clubside), 2431 8th Avenue | Doors 7:00 PM | All ages | A touring lineup of grind and crossover punk acts from across Western Canada, including Saskatoon's Exsang.
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🎞️ respectfulchild: Film Screening and Performance | RPL Film Theatre, Central Library | 7:00 PM | Free | A new Canadian film screening paired with a live performance.
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🚔 RCMP Depot Tours and 🎨 Games in the Park continue today (see Thursday listing).

RUNNING ALL WEEK

🖼️ Beast Friends Forever | Art Gallery of Regina, Neil Balkwill Civic Arts Centre | Free, through Sept 17 | Five prairie artists explore the boundaries between humans and other animals.
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🏅 Played Here: 60 Years of Saskatchewan Sport | Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame | Free, through May 2027 | A retrospective exhibit celebrating six decades of Saskatchewan sport history.
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🛶 Wascana Centre Canoe & Kayak Rentals | Wascana Marina | Through Sept 15
Rentals available for exploring the lake at your own pace.
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🔭 Kalium Observatory Free Public Observing | Kramer IMAX Theatre | Through Dec 11 | Free | Public stargazing sessions hosted by the Regina Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
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This Week's Poll

With flight options to Mexico expanding this winter, what's your move?

☀️ Already booking my Cancun trip
🏔️ Staying local, Saskatchewan winters build character
✈️ Dreaming about it, booking it is another story
🧳 Team Phoenix or bust

Hit reply and let us know :)

Thanks for reading Queen City Digest. Between new flights, free movies, and a whole weekend of things to do, Regina's earning its keep this week.

🗓️ Next edition: Friday, August 21.

-QCD