Igloos, ice bars, and hiking; Frost Festival kicks off 2023 with new events
Above seasonal temperatures with snow squalls did not slow down the first day of Regina’s Frost Festival.
Some fan favourite events including sleigh rides and skating on Wascana Lake are back for their second season while organizers introduced new elements to this year’s agenda. Many of which embrace the natural side of the Queen City.
Bird watching tours, as well as trips around the lake with hiking enthusiasts, highlight what Regina's nature scene has to offer.
David Drummond has been offering hikes around the lake and said the activity has many benefits for those who join in.
"Getting kids outside in the winter it helps them understand and appreciate how dangerous it can be to see an animal living outside,” Drummond said.
“[It makes you] really appreciate that warm house you go back to every night.”
Frost Festival has been split into four different hubs spread out throughout the city with no shortage of events happening outside of the REAL District.
In the downtown hub near Pat Fiacco Plaza, competitors were participating in the first ever igloo building competition.
Jaden Janzen and his team were eager to build the structure, but were also excited to see what their competitors could create.
"I’m expecting to see a lot of good igloos, a lot of teams coming together and a lot of good design,” Janzen explained. “I think there are a lot of creative people in this city so I am excited to see what everybody makes.”
With the igloo competition a Frost Festival first, organizers are taking notes with the expectation of coming back next year with a larger event.
"There’s a lot of exciting colour and elements and they will be illuminated in the evening and just a really interactive event,” organizer Kayla Lindgren explained.
The warehouse hub is also host to many events, including an ice bar at Rebellion Brewery.
The warehouse hub will be home to events suited for crowds 19+ including snow suit dance parties.
With all the outdoor fun, the Regina Fire and Protective Services (RFPS) reminds the public to dress for winter conditions.
“You want to dress accordingly to the winter and to the weather,” Chief Layne Jackson said.
“So dress in layers and make sure you’re covered especially if it starts to get cold.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.