Queen City Digest

What a week it's been. We came through one of the biggest winter storms in recent memory, the city has been digging out, and last night half of Saskatchewan was watching Canada's women's hockey team go to overtime in the Olympic gold medal game in Milan. What a ride. We'll have more on that below.

FROST Regina's final weekend is here, and after two weekends hampered by warm weather, this one is going to feel exactly right. The Pats are in playoff push mode. The U of R Cougars women's curling team is mounting a comeback at nationals, right here in Regina. The Farmers' Market is coming home to downtown soon and a local brewery is quietly making Saskatchewan history in the most unexpected way.

Let's get into it.

In today's edition:

The storm that swept through Tuesday night and Wednesday delivered everything it promised: Environment Canada confirmed Regina received 19 cm of snow, with some northern communities seeing up to 50 cm. The good news is the skies have cleared beautifully, and Wascana is absolutely stunning right now with a fresh coat of snow over the park and the lake.

The catch? A serious cold snap is locked in behind it. Meteorologists described the storm as a "very impactful" system, and noted that overnight lows are expected to be in the -30s C, with daytime highs in the -20 C range. Extreme cold warnings have been issued for Regina and several other communities across the province. Bundle up accordingly, layering is your friend this weekend.

The silver lining: with all that fresh snow and properly cold temperatures, Wascana's skating rink is going to be in prime condition for the weekend. Same goes for the outdoor FROST events.

If you’re heading out of town, Check 511.ca for road conditions before you head out, and give yourself extra time.

The road update you've been waiting for: as of Thursday afternoon, the City of Regina had cleared 85% of its Category 1 roads (think Albert Street, Lewvan, Arcola, Rochdale) and roughly 30% of Category 2 roads (13th Avenue, Broadway, Elphinstone). Even better news : a full residential plow is coming early next week. In the meantime, residents are asked to keep Category 2 streets clear of parked vehicles to help crews work through the weekend.

Last night, Canada's women's hockey team took the United States to overtime in the gold medal game at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, and judging by the watch parties across this city, almost no one went to bed early. Team USA came from behind to win 2–1 in overtime, with Megan Keller scoring the winner after captain Hilary Knight tied it late in the third. Canada's Kristin O'Neill had given the team a shorthanded lead that held through most of the game.

It stings. There's no pretending otherwise, especially for a team led by the legendary Marie-Philip Poulin in what many expect to be her final Olympics. But the way Saskatchewan showed up for this game was genuinely something: bars opened early, community watch parties filled up, Regina fans wore their red and white. Poulin and Team Canada gave everything, and they deserved a better result. Canada still takes home silver. They still represented this country with class. And we'll be back.

In the meantime, Canada's men's and women's curling teams are both still in the hunt at Milano Cortina. The men's team has qualified for the playoffs and the women are one win away. Plenty more to cheer for this weekend right here in Regina.

If you need a reason to get out of the house and warm up, tonight is it. The Regina Pats host the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Brandt Centre at 7:00 PM, and this one matters. The Pats have been one of the East's most improved teams over the last month, surging up the conference standings and putting themselves firmly in the playoff conversation.

The Pats have turned their win streak into one of their biggest gains of the season, with the SportsCage WHL Eastern Conference Power Rankings showing Regina surging into the top six. The Oil Kings, for their part, have already clinched a playoff berth, making this a battle between a locked-in contender and a team hungry to join them.

Friday night's game is also part of FROST Regina's special hockey weekend, with 20% off tickets for the Pats vs. Edmonton game tonight. Tomorrow, they're home again to face the Penticton Vees at 7:00 PM, two home games in two nights with the whole city buzzing. Grab your tickets at reginapats.com.

After two weekends where warm temperatures forced organizers to scale back some outdoor programming, this third and final FROST weekend could not have better weather for a winter festival. Cold, sunny, and properly snowy: this is exactly what the organizers had in mind when they planned the city-wide celebration.

FROST Regina runs across three weekends (February 6–8, 13–16, and 20–22), transforming Regina into a playground of ice, lights, and laughter. At Mosaic Stadium, families can chase Olympic-style thrills with on-field adventures, a huge inflatable course, and an indoor lounge packed with local vendors and frosty treats. Over at Wascana Centre, dogsled and horse-drawn carriage rides are available, weather permitting.

Downtown Regina buzzes with energy: skate Victoria Park, play crokicurl, climb snow hills, or catch Frozen the Musical at the Globe Theatre before warming up at nearby restaurants. In the Warehouse District, the FROST Circuit continues with a brewery crawl across six participating craft breweries, complete with a complimentary shuttle.

Most outdoor events are free. For the full schedule and ticketed experiences, visit frostregina.com.

Here's a feel-good local business story that deserves more attention. Regina's District Brewing Co. is the only known brewery in Saskatchewan that reuses CO₂ using a smart carbon capture machine. The system captures CO₂ released during the fermentation of their beers, filters it to 99.9 per cent purity, and reuses it, instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.

District Brewing produces about 80 metric tonnes of CO₂ per year, comparable to nearly 20 gas vehicles driven annually, and the carbon capture machine cuts down on their outsourced CO₂ use by 98 per cent, making them nearly self-reliant on CO₂ from their own fermentation process.

The brewery, located in the heart of the Warehouse District, recently announced a new partnership with Saskatoon's Paddock Wood Brewing, which was partly attracted by District's sustainability leadership. They're also planning to add solar panels next. Next time you crack open a District beer, you're supporting something genuinely worth celebrating.

Great news for anyone who's been missing the buzz of a downtown market: the Regina Farmers' Market is returning to its downtown location, with Saturday outdoor markets heading back to Pat Fiacco Plaza for the 2026 season. Both Wednesday and Saturday outdoor markets will soon operate downtown, marking a full return to the organization's longtime home.

The organizers conducted a public survey in which more than 1,700 people responded, with the overwhelming majority expressing a strong preference for downtown as the long-term location for Saturday markets. Customers said they preferred the downtown location for reasons including atmosphere, walkability, accessibility by transit, and connections to surrounding businesses.

The outdoor season kicks off in May, but in the meantime, the indoor winter markets continue Saturdays at Banner Hall in the REAL District, running through April. The market has also launched a feasibility study to find a permanent four-season home, so the long-term future of this community institution is being thoughtfully planned.

Here's a local sports story to keep an eye on this weekend. The University of Regina Cougars are hosting the 2026 U SPORTS/CCAA Canadian Curling Championships at the Callie Curling Club right here in town, and after a tough opening night, skip Chloe Johnston and her rink bounced back in a big way Thursday, going 2–0 on the day, defeating Queen's 8–4 and then absolutely routing the University of Calgary 10–1 to climb back to 2–1 in the round robin. They're firmly back in the hunt for a semifinal spot.

The championships feature eight women's and eight men's teams in round-robin play through Friday, with the top four in each advancing to Saturday's semifinals and gold and bronze medal games Saturday afternoon, all at the Callie Curling Club. This is national-championship curling, happening in your city, this weekend. Worth checking out if you're a curling fan.

After months of uncertainty around its funding, the Regina Floral Conservatory is moving forward with a capital campaign aimed at securing its future, including the long-term dream of a new, purpose-built facility in Wascana Centre. The Saskatchewan Community Association is partnering with the conservatory's volunteer organization, the Regina Garden Associates, to support the effort.

The conservatory, one of Regina's most beloved and underappreciated spaces, draws around 20,000 visitors a year and is entirely volunteer-run. If you've ever stepped inside on a grey February day and felt instantly transported by the warmth, greenery, and smell of tropical plants, you know why this matters. The campaign is in early stages; keep an eye on their social channels at @floralconservatory for updates on how to support.

📍 Brandt Centre · 7:00 PM 🏒 Regina Pats vs. Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) Playoff push hockey on home ice, and it's a FROST weekend special with 20% off tickets tonight. The Pats have surged into the top six of the East Division and are in full battle mode. Tickets →

📍 Casino Regina Show Lounge · 7:30 PM · 19+ 😂 Snowed In Comedy Tour · $55 Canada's biggest comedy tour, now in its 16th year, hitting 70 cities coast to coast. Tonight's lineup features Pete Zedlacher, Paul Myrehaug, Erica Sigurdson and Dan Quinn. Doors at 6:30 PM. Tickets →

📍 Local Market · 6:30 PM 🕯️ Candlelight Concerts: Tribute to Adele An intimate candlelit evening celebrating the music of Adele, performed live at Local Market's atmospheric venue. A beautiful date night option.

📍 Local Market · 8:30 PM 🕯️ Candlelight Concerts: Tribute to British Rock Legends A second Candlelight show later in the evening, this one a tribute to the greatest British rock acts of all time. Two Candlelight shows, one venue, one night.

📍 Kramer IMAX Theatre · Ongoing 🎬 EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (Running Feb 18–26) The King of Rock 'n' Roll on the giant IMAX screen. A unique cinematic tribute experience running all week.

📍 FROST Regina, All Day · Multiple Locations ❄️ FROST Regina Final Weekend (Free & Ticketed) The grand finale of Regina's city-wide winter festival, with properly cold temperatures for the first time this year, this weekend will be the best one yet.

Full FROST schedule → frostregina.com

📍 Brandt Centre · 6:00 PM 🏒 Regina Pats vs. Penticton Vees (WHL) Back-to-back home games this weekend, the Vees come to town for another key East matchup during FROST weekend. The Brandt Centre crowd will be loud. Tickets →

📍 Conexus Arts Centre · 5:00 PM 🎭 An Evening with Opie & Friends An evening of entertainment at the Conexus Arts Centre. Check venue website for full lineup and ticket details. Info →

📍 Casino Regina Show Lounge · 8:00 PM 🎸 American Rock Legends Tribute A night of classic American rock, live at Casino Regina's Show Lounge. Great for fans of rock's golden era. Info →

📍 Globe Theatre · 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM 🎭 Disney's Frozen, The Broadway Musical (Matinee & Evening) The beloved story brought to life on stage at Canada's only permanent professional theatre-in-the-round. Two performances Saturday, a 2:00 PM matinee and a 7:30 PM evening show. FROST weekend's hottest ticket. Tickets →

📍 Callie Curling Club, Saturday & Sunday 🥌 U SPORTS/CCAA National Curling Championships, Semifinals & Finals Home team Chloe Johnston and the U of R Cougars women's team are back in contention after going 2–0 on Thursday. The top four teams in each competition advance to Saturday semifinals, with gold and bronze medal games Saturday afternoon. Free or low-cost admission, check curling.ca for the draw schedule.

📍 Banner Hall, REAL District · 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM 🛒 Regina Farmers' Market (Indoor Winter Edition) Local Saskatchewan produce, fresh-baked goods, honey, preserves, and handmade goods. The outdoor season returns downtown in May, for now, this is your weekly fix of local goodness. Market Info →

📍 MacKenzie Art Gallery · 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM 🖼️ Gallery Open, Winter Exhibitions World-class art in a beautiful space, always worth a visit, and a perfect FROST weekend stop before or after the market. Plan Your Visit →

📍 Kramer IMAX Theatre · Ongoing 🎬 EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (Running through Feb 26)

📍 FROST Regina, All Day ❄️ FROST Regina continues, All locations running. See Friday listing above. frostregina.com

📍 Globe Theatre · 2:00 PM 🎭 Disney's Frozen, The Broadway Musical (Sunday Matinee) The final FROST weekend matinee of Frozen. A wonderful way to close out the weekend with family. Tickets →

📍 The Exchange · 7:30 PM 🎤 The 1st Lil Godd Tour Hip-hop comes to The Exchange for a live touring show. Check the venue for full details and tickets. Info →

📍 Le Bistro · 7:30 PM 🌍 Djely Tapa Don't sleep on this one. Djely Tapa is a Juno Award-winning Malian-Canadian artist whose music weaves together Mandingo tradition, desert blues, and electronic experimentation. Daughter of celebrated griot Kandia Kouyaté, her soaring voice has earned her multiple Juno Awards including Global Music Album of the Year. An intimate Regina performance of a world-calibre artist.

📍 RPL/Dunlop Gallery, Central Branch · 2:00 PM 🎼 R.S.O. Chamber: Free Library Concert Series The Regina Symphony Orchestra's chamber series continues at the Central Library, intimate, world-class classical music, and completely free to attend. One of the best kept secrets in the city. Info →

📍 Wascana Centre, All Weekend ⛸️ Public Skating & Cross-Country Skiing · Daily, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM With fresh snow from this week's storm and cold temperatures locking in the ice, conditions this weekend are among the finest of the entire winter. Lace up. Trail & Ice Conditions →

📍 Kramer IMAX Theatre · Ongoing 🎬 EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (Running through Feb 26)

📍 FROST Regina, Final Day ❄️ FROST Regina wraps up, The last day of FROST 2026. All locations running. Soak up the final hours of Regina's biggest winter festival before the city turns toward spring. frostregina.com Film Schedule →

📍 Wascana Centre

Daily · 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Public Skating & Cross-Country Skiing · After this week's snowfall and cold snap, conditions this weekend will be among the best of the entire winter. Lace up.

Conditions & Trail Info →

Hit reply and let us know! Or find us on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok

Thanks for reading Queen City Digest. Now get out there, enjoy the FROST weekend, cheer on the Pats and the Cougars, and stay warm.

🗓️ Next edition: Monday, February 23 — fresh off the final FROST weekend, we'll have all the highlights.

-The QCD Team