👑 The Snowbirds are saying goodbye

Regina's friendly local roundup | Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Happy Wednesday, Regina! 👋

The May long weekend is behind us, the Victoria Day parade went ahead on Monday in the rain, and the city is buzzing this week. Cathedral Village is alive with CVAF's 30th anniversary, the Riders have kicked off their title defence, and there is some big business news out of Regina this morning. The cold snap is lifting fast: 18°C today, and the weekend ahead looks like a reward for enduring it. Let's get into it.

In today's edition:

🎨 CVAF's Victoria Day parade went ahead in the rain -- and Cathedral Village showed up anyway

🏈 Riders fall 20-15 in preseason opener as Brayden Schager makes his case

✈️ The Snowbirds are flying their farewell season in the Tutor jet

💼 Information Services Corp. to be acquired by a U.S. firm in a $1.2B deal

🌦️ The May long brought up to 32mm of rain - good news for farms and gardens

📅 Your full events guide : May 20-22

🎨 ARTS & COMMUNITY

CVAF's Victoria Day Parade Went Ahead in the Rain, and Cathedral Village Showed Up Anyway

The 30th anniversary of the Cathedral Village Arts Festival got its official start on Monday with the Victoria Day parade marching through the neighbourhood despite persistent rain and lingering cold from the long weekend storm. Residents and performers turned out anyway, which felt entirely on brand for a festival that has been built on community stubbornness and creative spirit for three decades. The parade kicked off six days of performances, events, and installations running through Saturday, May 23.

This year's theme is "A Story Worth Telling," and the 30th anniversary edition has two live music stages in Holy Rosary Park, events at dozens of venues across the Cathedral neighbourhood, and the beloved 13th Avenue Street Fair on Saturday running until 6:00 PM. Wednesday through Friday are packed with specific programming detailed in this edition's events guide below. If you make it to only one thing this week, the Friday night Village Voices concert and Saturday Street Fair are the ones.

The full schedule is at cvaf.ca.

🏈 RIDERS

Roughriders Fall 20-15 in Preseason Opener as Brayden Schager and New CFL Clock Rules Take Centre Stage

The defending Grey Cup Champion Saskatchewan Roughriders dropped their 2026 CFL preseason opener 20-15 to the Calgary Stampeders on Victoria Day, but the result was a secondary storyline to what the game revealed. Quarterback Brayden Schager drew considerable attention with the new 35-second play clock also getting its first live test. Head coach Corey Mace used the game primarily to evaluate depth players and roster battles rather than deploy starters, which is exactly what preseason is for. The tape from Monday will be more useful to the coaching staff than the final score.

The new CFL timing rules improved the pace of play considerably by most accounts. The Riders head to Saskatoon this Saturday for their second and final preseason game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Griffiths Stadium, the first game played in the Bridge City since 1991. Then the real chase begins: the regular season home opener is June 13 at Mosaic Stadium against the BC Lions. Defending champions. Tickets available at riderville.com.

✈️ COMMUNITY

Saskatchewan's Snowbirds Are Flying Their Final Season in the Tutor Jet. Savour Every Air Show.

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds, based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw and beloved across this province, will be grounded following the 2026 flying season while they wait for new aircraft, the Department of National Defence confirmed Tuesday. This means the 2026 season is the last in the Tutor jet, the plane that has been synonymous with the team for over 50 years. This marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. It is a bittersweet milestone for anyone who has watched them fly across a prairie sky at an air show or a community celebration.

For Reginans and Saskatchewanians, the Snowbirds are part of the fabric of summer. If there is an air show within driving distance this season, it is worth making the trip. Check the Snowbirds' 2026 schedule here for confirmed dates and locations. They will be back with new aircraft eventually but this particular chapter, with these jets and this era of the team, closes at the end of this summer.

💼 BUSINESS

Information Services Corp. to be Acquired by a U.S. Firm in a $1.2-Billion Deal

Information Services Corp., the Regina-based company that provides land titles, corporate registry, and vital statistics services across Saskatchewan, will be acquired by a U.S. firm in a deal valued at $1.2 billion. ISC trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and has been one of Saskatchewan's most recognizable publicly traded companies since it was privatized in 2013. The acquisition represents a significant transaction for the Regina business community and raises questions about what American ownership means for a company whose services touch nearly every property transaction and business registration in the province.

Details on the acquiring firm and full terms of the deal were still emerging as of Tuesday evening. ISC employs hundreds of people across Saskatchewan with its head office in Regina. This is the kind of transaction that tends to move quietly at first and then land with real weight for employees, clients, and the broader provincial economy. Watch for further details as the story develops.

🌦️ WEATHER & AGRICULTURE

The May Long Brought Up to 32mm of Rain Across Saskatchewan -- Music to Farmers' Ears

Environment Canada confirmed Monday that up to 32 millimetres of precipitation fell across parts of Saskatchewan over the Victoria Day long weekend, with a mix of rain and snow sweeping through the south. Regina picked up around 13 millimetres. It was not a weekend for camping chairs or backyard barbecues, but for the agriculture community heading into seeding season, the moisture was close to ideal. Producers across southern Saskatchewan have been watching the sky carefully this spring, and full dugouts heading into the field make for a very different kind of long weekend than the weather might suggest.

The 2026 growing season is getting started under better conditions than many expected. The first Saskatchewan crop report of the season is expected this week, and early signals from farming regions are encouraging. The cold snap that arrived with the storm is already lifting, Regina hits 15°C today and 17°C by Friday. By Saturday the forecast sits at 23°C. I think we’re all looking forward to not seeing any more snow. Get the garden in this week?

🏙️ CITY BRIEF

SortSmart Depot Rewards Are Back and the Prize This Quarter Is an Electric Mulching Mower

The City of Regina's SortSmart Depot Rewards program is running again through June 30. Bring eligible materials to local depots : SARCAN, the Yard Waste Depot, or the Household Hazardous Materials Depot. Scan the on-site QR code, and you are entered to win the quarterly prize: an electric mulching mower.

Details at Regina.ca/SortSmart.

May 20 to 22

🎨 Cathedral Village Arts Festival -- 30th Anniversary | Cathedral neighbourhood, multiple venues | 5:00 PM onward | Free, donation tin at the door | cvaf.ca | Full list of events organized by date at the end of the events section |

🎭 Cinderella -- Rodgers & Hammerstein's Enchanted Edition | Darke Hall, 2255 College Avenue | 7:00 PM | $15.75-$26.25 | darkehall.ca | Presented by Regina Christian School, this full-length production runs nightly through Saturday. Two and a half hours of classic musical theatre inside one of the most beautiful performance spaces in the province. A great family night or a proper evening out.

🎬 Kramer IMAX: Top Gun 40th Anniversary + Top Gun: Maverick | Saskatchewan Science Centre, 2903 Powerhouse Drive | 6:25 PM and 9:00 PM | Paid | sasksciencecentre.com | The final nights of the Top Gun double bill at the Kramer IMAX. The 40th Anniversary cut screens at 6:25 PM with Maverick following at 9:00 PM. Both wrap up after Thursday -- last chance on the largest screen in Saskatchewan.

🎬 RPL Film Theatre: Bad Press | Central Library, 2311 12th Avenue | 7:00 PM | Free admission | reginalibrary.ca | A 2023 American documentary running 98 minutes. Free admission at one of Regina's best small cinema spaces. No ticket required -- just show up.

🎨 CVAF Thursday Evening | Cathedral neighbourhood, multiple venues | From 5:30 PM | Free | cvaf.ca | | Full list of events organized by date at the end of the events section |

🎬 RPL Film Theatre: Space Cowboys | Central Library, 2311 12th Avenue | 1:00 PM | Free admission | reginalibrary.ca | Clint Eastwood's crowd-pleasing 2000 film about retired test pilots launched into space -- 130 minutes, 14A. A great Thursday afternoon matinee at no cost.

🪡 Drop-In Beadwork Circle | Community Commons, Central Library, 2311 12th Avenue | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | Free | reginalibrary.ca | Bring your own project or start something new. A facilitator is on hand and materials are provided. Open to all skill levels -- a warm, low-key Thursday evening in a great space.

✍️ Pitching, Submitting and/or Independently Publishing | Central Library, 2311 12th Avenue (Prairie Sage Room) | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | Free | reginalibrary.ca | A workshop for writers at any level exploring the different paths to getting your work into the world -- traditional pitching, submission strategies, and independent publishing options. Open to writers of any genre. Currently waitlisted, but worth checking the RPL website for openings.

🎬 RPL Film Theatre: Network | Central Library, 2311 12th Avenue | 7:00 PM | Free admission | reginalibrary.ca | Sidney Lumet's 1976 masterpiece -- 121 minutes, PG. Prescient, sharp, and as relevant as ever. Free admission.

🎲 Community Game Night | Prince of Wales Branch, Regina Public Library | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM | Free | reginalibrary.ca | Board games, new faces, and a relaxed Thursday evening. Open to adults. Drop in, pick a game, and see who shows up. A reliable and easy way to meet people in the city.

🎸 Tim Hicks: Going Somewhere Tour | Casino Regina Show Lounge, 1880 Saskatchewan Drive | 8:00 PM | $52.52-$59.50 + taxes and fees | casinoregina.com | Country fan favourite Tim Hicks with The Martin Boys opening. One of the better live acts on the Canadian country circuit right now, in one of the city's best intimate concert rooms.

🎬 Kramer IMAX: Star Wars -- The Mandalorian and Grogu, Opening Night | Saskatchewan Science Centre, 2903 Powerhouse Drive | Multiple showtimes | Paid | sasksciencecentre.com | The most anticipated film of the summer opens Thursday exclusively in IMAX at the Kramer -- Saskatchewan's only IMAX screen. Din Djarin and Grogu return in Jon Favreau's first big-screen Star Wars adventure, with Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White in the cast. Check the Science Centre website for showtimes.

🎨 CVAF Friday Evening | Cathedral neighbourhood, multiple venues | From 5:00 PM | Free | cvaf.ca | Full list of events organized by date at the end of the events section |

🎬 RPL Film Theatre: Bottle Rocket | Central Library, 2311 12th Avenue | 4:30 PM | Free admission | reginalibrary.ca | Wes Anderson's 1996 debut feature -- the one that started it all. 91 minutes, 14A. A perfect Friday afternoon watch before heading out for the evening.

🥂 Bring 'Em Up Gala | Conexus Arts Centre, 200 Lakeshore Drive | Cocktails 5:30 PM, Supper 6:30 PM | Tables of 8 at $1,500 | conexusartscentre.ca | A fundraiser gala raising money to enhance sport, culture, and recreation opportunities for immigrant and refugee youth in Saskatchewan. Cocktail reception followed by dinner and a special program. A meaningful Friday evening for a genuinely good cause. Contact [email protected] to reserve a table.

🎵 Dopethrone, Mizmor, and Tribunal | The Exchange, 1840 McIntyre Street | 7:00 PM | Paid | TheExchange | Heavy psych and doom metal at The Exchange Friday night. Dopethrone are a Montreal doom institution; Mizmor brings black metal weight from the American Pacific Northwest. For fans of the heavy and slow, this is a proper night out.

🎬 RPL Film Theatre: How To Make A Killing | Central Library, 2311 12th Avenue | 7:00 PM | Free admission | reginalibrary.ca | A brand new 2026 British release from director John Patton Ford -- 105 minutes, PG. A rare chance to catch a current theatrical release at no cost at the RPL Film Theatre.

😂 Bruce McCulloch: Dark Purple Slice Tour | Casino Regina Show Lounge, 1880 Saskatchewan Drive | 8:00 PM | $39-$45 + taxes and fees | casinoregina.com | Kids in the Hall legend Bruce McCulloch brings his solo stand-up tour to the Show Lounge. Canadian comedy royalty in one of the city's most comfortable rooms.

📚 Dunlop Art Gallery -- Two Exhibitions On Now | Sherwood Village Branch and Central Library | Free during regular library hours | reginalibrary.ca

🎨 Cathedral Village Arts Festival -- Wednesday, May 20 | Cathedral neighbourhood | Free, donation tin at the door | cvaf.ca

🎨 Cathedral Village Arts Festival -- Thursday, May 21 | Cathedral neighbourhood | Free, donation tin at the door | cvaf.ca

🎨 Cathedral Village Arts Festival -- Friday, May 22 | Cathedral neighbourhood | Free, donation tin at the door | cvaf.ca

CVAF is celebrating its 30th anniversary. What part of festival week are you most looking forward to?

🎶 The live music stages in Holy Rosary Park

🛍️ The 13th Avenue Street Fair on Saturday

🎭 A specific show or performance this week

🎬 Honestly, I'm headed to the RPL Film Theatre

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

Thanks for reading Queen City Digest. CVAF is in full swing, a $1.2-billion story broke overnight, the Mandalorian is back on the biggest screen in the province, and there is a free film every night this week at the library. A good week to be in Regina.

Next edition: Friday, May 22.

-QCD