Regina's friendly local roundup | Monday, April 20, 2026

Happy Monday, Regina! 👋

What a weekend. The Brandt Centre filled with drums and dancing for the First Nations University's milestone 50th Anniversary Spring Celebration Powwow. The Grey Cup made its final community tour stop right here in the Queen City before heading back to the CFL. Families flooded the REAL District for the Kid Expo.

The week ahead is just as good - Tenille Townes at Casino Regina Tuesday night, the Autism Resource Centre's 50th anniversary gala at Conexus, Faulty Towers Live for three nights, the Michael IMAX experience opening Wednesday, City of Art at The Docks, and much more. Let's get into it.

In today's edition:

📰 News & Community

🥁 CULTURE

The Brandt Centre Was Full of Drums, Dance, and 50 Years of FNUniv Pride This Weekend

The First Nations University of Canada's Spring Celebration Powwow returned to the Brandt Centre on Saturday and Sunday for what may have been its most meaningful edition to date. This year marks FNUniv's 50th anniversary, and the powwow served as the official kickoff to a year of celebration of Indigenous education, culture, and community. Over 800 dancers and more than 20 drum groups from across North America took to the arena floor over two days, with every generation represented, from tiny tots dancing for the first time to golden age competitors who have been in the circle for decades.

The powwow is the longest-running indoor powwow in Western Canada, and this year it carried extra weight as the anchor event of a milestone anniversary year. Three-year-old Phoenix Gould danced in the tiny tots category for the first time this year, introduced to the circle by her grandmother. The Indigenous tradeshow ran both days alongside the dancing, with local artists, beaders, and food vendors filling the venue. If you missed it, put next April on your calendar now.

🏆 SPORTS

The Grey Cup Said Its Saskatchewan Goodbye Right Here in Regina

After one of the most remarkable community tours in CFL history, the Saskatchewan Roughriders' 2025 Grey Cup made its final stop yesterday at the FNUniv Spring Celebration Powwow at the Brandt Centre. Gainer the Gopher and members of the championship roster were on hand from noon to 2 PM, giving thousands of powwow visitors a chance to see the hardware up close before it returned to the league.

The Grey Cup Community Tour visited nearly 40 Saskatchewan communities over several months, from Humboldt to La Loche, Earl Grey to Île-à-la-Crosse. Roughriders President Craig Reynolds said each stop reminded the organization "who we play for." There is something fitting about the Cup ending its journey at a powwow celebrating Indigenous culture, two communities deeply tied to this province's identity, sharing the same floor on the same weekend. Training camp details for the 2026 season are expected in the coming weeks, with the reigning champions building toward a defence.

👧 COMMUNITY

Kid Expo Is Back and It's One of the Best Days Out a Regina Family Can Have

Hundreds of families turned out to the International Trade Centre in the REAL District yesterday for the return of the Kid Expo, a one-stop showcase connecting Regina parents and kids with the activities, recreational programs, and learning opportunities available right here in the city. The free-to-attend event ran from 10 AM to 4 PM and has been growing steadily since coordinator Amanda Delparte launched it in 2018 - originally out of her own frustration at not knowing what existed for her young child.

The concept is straightforward and effective: every organization, sport, arts group, and program in the city under one roof, with the actual people behind them there to answer questions. Delparte said the event has directly connected thousands of Regina families to activities they would not have otherwise discovered. If Sunday passed you by, keep an eye out - the expo is exploring expansion to other parts of Saskatchewan, and next year's Regina edition will be back.

🔬 SCIENCE

University of Regina Researchers Help Solve a Long-Standing Prairie Water Mystery

University of Regina limnologist Dr. Peter Leavitt co-authored a study published this week in the journal Nature Water that identifies the real driver of water quality decline across the Canadian Prairies - and it points toward a solution. The research, conducted with the University of Manitoba, found that while the farm fertilizer urea does cause significant algae growth and oxygen depletion in Prairie water bodies, the key problem is the widespread drainage of natural wetlands that would otherwise filter agricultural runoff before it reaches lakes and rivers.

The study compared hundreds of lakes, wetlands, and reservoirs across southern Saskatchewan and found that nearly half may be degraded by decades of urea use combined with aggressive wetland drainage. Dr. Leavitt's conclusion is actionable: "It's wetlands mismanagement that excessively drains farmland and increases fertilizer export to freshwaters." For a province whose landscape and identity are inseparable from its water and land, the research is a significant contribution to understanding how to protect both. Restoring wetlands, not restricting farms, is the path forward.

🚗 COMMUNITY BRIEF

Today Is Your Last Chance to Weigh In on Headlight Glare

If the blinding glare of modern LED headlights on Albert Street at night has ever made you wince, Transport Canada wants to hear from you - and today is the deadline. The federal government's national survey on vehicle headlight glare closes today, Monday, April 20, and takes about 15 minutes to complete. Your responses are anonymous and will be used to inform national vehicle lighting standards.

You can participate two ways:

1) Fill out the Transport Canada headlight glare survey

2) Email your feedback to [email protected] with "Headlight glare" in the subject line.

Either way, today is the day.

📅 What's On in Regina April 20 to 22, 2026

MONDAY, APRIL 20

🌱 Get Outside! Preschool Club - Spring Session | Biodiversity Reserve at Caledonia Curling Club | Session A: 9:45 AM to 10:45 AM | Session B: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM | Free | RSVP required | Ages 2 to 5 with a parent or caregiver Nature Regina's outdoor learning program kicks off its spring run at the Biodiversity Reserve, with nature walks, bird watching, and hands-on activities for little ones. Two time slots available - register for the one that works for your family. Younger siblings welcome. Register for Session A | Register for Session B

🌱 Parent Café | Regina Floral Conservatory - 1450B 4th Ave | 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM | Free A relaxed drop-in for parents and caregivers, set among the greenery of one of Regina's most underrated spaces. Come for the plants, stay for the conversation and connection. Details

📚 Regina Public Library - Sunrise Branch | 4950 Sherwood Dr | Three programs running this afternoon, all free and drop-in:

Regina Public Library programs

🎸 Death by Stereo: Flawed Theology Canadian Tour | The Exchange - 2431 8th Ave | Doors 7:00 PM | $25 advance / $30 at the door | All ages and licensed California punk legends Death by Stereo bring their Flawed Theology Canadian Tour to one of Regina's best live rooms, with La Armada and Blue Youth on the bill. A sweaty Monday night in the best possible way. Tickets

🌿 Nature Regina Monthly Meeting: Crayfish Ecology in Saskatchewan | Royal Saskatchewan Museum - 2445 Albert St | 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM | Free Local researchers present on the ecology of crayfish in Saskatchewan - one of those talks that sounds niche and turns out to be genuinely fascinating. Open to the public, no registration required. This event is not on the Royal Saskatchewan Museum’s page. It is confirmed at the top of this page : Nature Regina

TUESDAY, APRIL 21

👶 Mainly Mother Goose | Regina Public Library, Sunrise Branch - 4950 Sherwood Dr | 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM | Free | Drop-in A short and sweet program for babies, toddlers, and their grown-ups, built around nursery rhymes, songs, and early language fun. No registration required. Details

🎭 Faulty Towers the Dining Experience | Sandman Hotel & Suites, Regina | 7:00 PM | Paid | Running through Thursday, April 23 The beloved British comedy gets the full immersive dinner-theatre treatment, with actors in character from the moment you sit down, three courses, and total unpredictable chaos throughout. Running three nights only — book ahead. Details

🎵 Tenille Townes: The Living Room Tour | Casino Regina Show Lounge - 1880 Saskatchewan Dr | 8:00 PM | Paid The BC-raised country singer-songwriter brings her intimate Living Room Tour to the Show Lounge. Townes has one of the most compelling voices in Canadian country music right now, and a small room suits her well. Tickets at Casino Regina

🧩 Autism Resource Centre 50th Anniversary Celebration | Conexus Arts Centre - 200 Lakeshore Dr | 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM | $100 per person / $800 reserved table of 8 The Autism Resource Centre marks 50 years of supporting the autistic community in Regina with an evening of reflection, connection, and forward-looking conversation. Pre-reception and networking at 5:00 PM, followed by dinner and opening remarks at 6:00 PM, and a panel discussion on the future of autism support and inclusion in the city. A meaningful night for an organization that has shaped countless lives here. Tickets

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22

🏫 SASBO 80th Annual Convention & Trade Show | DoubleTree by Hilton - 1975 Broad St | 1:00 PM | Registration required | Runs through Thursday, April 23 Saskatchewan's school business officials gather for their 80th annual provincial convention, bringing together education administrators, vendors, and sector leaders from across the province. Details

🎬 Michael: The IMAX Experience | Kramer IMAX Theatre - 2903 Powerhouse Drive | Opening Night | Runs through April 30 | Paid The highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic opens its IMAX run Wednesday evening and plays through the end of the month. Multiple daily showtimes. Showtimes and tickets

🎨 City of Art 2026 | The Docks at Local Market - 1377 Hamilton St | 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM | $65 An evening showcasing Saskatchewan artists through local art, food, and live and silent auctions. One of the more stylish fundraiser nights on the spring calendar. Tickets

🎸 Set Piece + Space Queen + Sed3ment | The Exchange - 2431 8th Ave | Doors 7:00 PM | Music 7:30 PM | $15 A mid-week indie rock triple bill with Vancouver's Space Queen making the trip out. Details

🌱 RGA Member Meet & Greet | Regina Floral Conservatory - 1450B 4th Ave | 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM | Free A casual come-and-go evening for anyone interested in gardening and the conservatory community. New faces welcome. Details

ONGOING THIS WEEK

🖼️ Art Gallery of Regina Spring Show & Sale | 2420 Elphinstone St | Free admission | Through Saturday, April 25 Over 400 original works by Saskatchewan artists available for viewing and purchase. One of the best free outings in the city right now. Art Gallery of Regina

🎨 MacKenzie Art Gallery | 3475 Albert St (T.C. Douglas Building) | Tues–Fri 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Thurs until 9:00 PM, Sat–Sun 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM | Multiple exhibitions through May | Free admission mackenzie.art

📊 This Week's Poll

The Grey Cup has officially left Saskatchewan. How are you feeling?

🏆 Proud and already thinking about the repeat

😢 Send it back. We weren't ready to let it go

🤷 Wait, the Grey Cup was in town?

Hit reply to let us know, or find us on Facebook and Instagram @QueenCityDigest

What a weekend for this city, and a great week ahead. Drums at the Brandt Centre, the Cup's final bow in Regina, families discovering what this community has to offer and now a packed slate of events from Monday through Wednesday to carry that energy forward.

There is a lot going on in the Queen City right now, and most of it is worth showing up for.

Next edition: Wednesday, April 22.

-The QCD Team