'Embrace our winter': Frost 2.0 puts final touches on festival prep
The final details are being chiselled into place at the REAL District in preparation for the second annual Frost Festival taking place Feb. 3 to 12.
Event co-chair Tim Reid said last year’s inaugural event had its challenges.
“Last year, we learned what doing events in the winter is really all about,” he said. “This year we’re more precise with our programming.”
160 blocks of ice, weighing over 300 pounds apiece, were brought in for ice sculptures, snow mazes and of course, slides.
Barry Collier and his team from Edmonton have worked hard in the days leading up to the festival to make sure their feature sculptures, including a dragon, a truck, and full living room set are ready for visitors Friday.
Barry Collier chisels the finishing details on an ice sculpture for the Frost Festival at the REAL District on Feb. 2, 2023. (Donovan Maess / CTV News)
“It’s about interacting with the crowd,” said Collier. “That’s the greatest joy about doing this, bringing people outside and really embracing our winter.”
They will be providing sculpting demonstrations throughout Frost.
For those looking to warm up, there are multiple free indoor events at REAL as well. The Harvard Lounge at Mosaic Stadium will have live local music Friday and Saturday nights.
In addition, people can take a walk inside to catch a train ride through the revamped version of ‘Glow,’ featuring more than 300,000 lights.
Figure skating legend Elvis Stojko is also back at Frost again this year.
“It’s great to be indoors this year, a little bit warmer,” he said. “The people [in Regina] are wonderful and it’s always great to be out here.”
Tickets from REAL to access Glow and the Stojko shows at the Brandt Centre can be purchased here.
Early-bird pricing will end at midnight on Feb. 3.
This year, the festival is sprawling out around Regina to Downtown, the Warehouse District, Wascana Park and RCMP Heritage Centre. Each hub will have its own varying style.
“People want differing experiences,” said Reid. “You’ll see hubs are very focused on different demographics and ultimately, there will be something for everybody at each hub.”
What really made Frost shine this year is the over 200 volunteers dedicating their time.
“We have such an active group within our volunteers,” said Charlene Oancia, volunteer manager. “It continues to grow and make our events successful. They’re the icing on the cake.”
Frost Festival opening ceremonies are Friday night at the RCMP Heritage Centre beginning at 5 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.