👑 Two Regina athletes suit up for Canada

Regina's friendly local roundup | Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Happy Wednesday, Regina! 👋

Environment Canada has us climbing back into the low 20s today after a soggy end to the long weekend, with a mix of sun and cloud through the afternoon. Thursday looks even better, a sunny 24°C, before things cool off and cloud back in for Friday at 17°C. If you've been holding off on outdoor plans, this is your window.

It's a big week for Regina on the national stage: two hometown athletes are representing Canada at a world championship, and a Regina author just landed one of the country's top literary honours. Throw in a heritage home getting some love, a booming local film industry, and the Queen City Marathon kicking off this weekend, and there's plenty to feel good about. Let's get into it.

In today's edition:

Two Regina athletes are representing Canada as the 2026 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships get underway in Ottawa this week. Nik Goncin and Garrett Ostepchuk, both born and raised playing wheelchair basketball in Regina, are among three Saskatchewan players on the men's roster, alongside Kyrell Sopotyk of Aberdeen. It marks the first time the men's team has competed at a world championship on home soil since 1994, with the tournament running through September 19.

Goncin, who has played for Canada's senior national team since 2013, says having teammates from his own province is a first for him in his career. He points to it as a sign of how far wheelchair basketball has grown outside the traditionally dominant hubs of Ontario and Quebec, with more athletes now coming up through Saskatchewan's programs. Three Saskatchewan athletes at a home Worlds is a milestone worth celebrating.

Regina author Tara Gereaux has been named to the 2026 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist for her novel Wild People Quiet, one of 14 books competing for the $100,000 award. Gereaux, a citizen of the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan, calls Regina home and has two previous books to her name, Saltus and Size of a Fist.

This year's longlist was chosen entirely by a jury of independent Canadian booksellers, selected from more than 140 submitted titles. The shortlist will be announced October 5, with the winner revealed at a Toronto gala on November 16. However it shakes out, it's a great week for Saskatchewan's literary scene to have a Regina name on the list.

A well-known piece of Regina architecture is getting some care. The 1928 "Doll House" at 2812 McCallum Avenue in Lakeview, built by architect William Gysbert Van Egmond as a wedding gift for his daughter, has a new owner in Daniel Hunt, who wasn't planning to buy a home when he first noticed the for-sale sign. After passing by a few more times over the summer, he finally called a realtor to take a look, and the rest is history.

The Swiss Chalet-style property earned its municipal heritage designation in 1983. Jackie Schmidt, president of Heritage Regina, says owning a designated heritage building means becoming a steward of a piece of the city's history, and that these properties help draw visitors and support Regina's cultural tourism. Hunt says it's every bit as charming to live in as it looks from the street.

It's shaping up to be one of the busiest years yet for Saskatchewan's film and television industry, thanks partly to a new ScreenSask grant launched this spring. The program covers 40 per cent of the cost of bringing in crew from outside the province, on the condition that those workers mentor a Saskatchewan crew member along the way. ScreenSask executive director Robert Hardy says the incentive has helped draw national and international productions to shoot here.

Regina-based actor Sara Price has felt the momentum firsthand, saying she hasn't gone a week this summer without an audition for a Saskatchewan production. Roughly 25 people have been mentored through the new program so far, giving local crew a foothold in an industry that keeps growing. For anyone hoping to break into the business, there's rarely been a better time to be in Saskatchewan.

September 9 to 11

🏃 Mandy Currie: Right Foot, Left Foot, You're Doing Great | Central Library, Regina Public Library | 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM | Free | A Queen City Marathon speaker talk with ultrarunner Mandy Currie, women's champion of the Hikuri 81K and 2x champion of the 118K Solo Ultra Canadian Death Race — a great primer ahead of this weekend's marathon.
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🎬 Cold Storage | RPL Film Theatre, Central Library | 7:00 PM to 8:40 PM | Free admission
A new feature opens Regina's best independent cinema screen this week.
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🥬 Regina Farmers' Market | Pat Fiacco Plaza, 2190 12th Avenue | 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM | Free | Local produce, baked goods, honey, and preserves from Saskatchewan producers. Runs Wednesdays and Saturdays this fall.
Market info

🚀 Startup Summit | Darke Hall, 2255 College Avenue | 6:00 PM | Paid admission
Cultivator's flagship event for founders, featuring real success stories and hard-won lessons from entrepreneurs building from the Prairies.
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🎸 Garrett Mason | The Exchange, 2431 8th Avenue | Doors 7:00 PM | All ages & licensed
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🎻 Wednesday Night Folk | Bushwakker Brewpub, 2206 Dewdney Avenue | 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM | Free | Local and touring folk, roots, and bluegrass acts, no cover charge.
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💼 Career Fair Canada | Queensbury Convention Centre, REAL District | 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM | Free | A regional hiring event connecting Regina job seekers with local employers.
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🎶 Relive the Music: 50s, 60s, and 70s | Conexus Arts Centre, 200 Lakeshore Drive | Doors 6:30 PM, Show 7:30 PM | Paid admission | A touring tribute revue covering three decades of classic hits.
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🖼️ Cassils: Movement Exhibition Tour | MacKenzie Art Gallery | 7:00 PM | Free admission
A guided walkthrough of the gallery's newest exhibition, led by curatorial staff.
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🎤 Music at the Library: Aubrie Houk | Central Library, Regina Public Library | 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM | Free
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🎭 Mark Normand | Casino Regina Show Lounge | 7:00 PM | Paid admission
The touring comedian brings an early show to the Queen City, with a second set Friday night.
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🏃 26th Annual Queen City Marathon | Wascana Centre | September 11 to 13 | Paid registration | Three days of races through the parkway kick off Friday, drawing runners from across the region for one of Regina's biggest annual sporting events.
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🎻 Resonance: A Prairie Vocal Arts Gala | Darke Hall, 2255 College Avenue | 7:00 PM | Paid admission | The inaugural concert from the newly formed Prairie Vocal Arts Collective, featuring opera, art song, and cabaret.
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🏈 Rams vs. Bisons | Leibel Field | 7:00 PM | Paid admission | University of Regina football hosts Manitoba at home.
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🎻 Candlelight Concerts: Vivaldi's Four Seasons and More | Hotel Saskatchewan | 6:30 PM | Paid admission | A string quartet performs candlelit classical favourites in the historic hotel's ballroom.
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🎸 Opal In Sky, Filth, Gutter King, Kelevra | The Exchange, 2431 8th Avenue | Doors 7:00 PM | All ages & licensed
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🏅 Running it myself
📣 Cheering from the sidelines
🥐 Sleeping in and dodging the road closures
🎉 Catching the finish line party

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Thanks for reading Queen City Digest. :)

🗓️ Next edition: Friday, September 11.

-QCD