'We're a winter city': Regina announces new winter festival taking place in February 2022
There was excitement in the air during the announcement in Victoria Park for an upcoming winter festival that’s slated to take over the city in mid-February.
The inaugural “Frost Regina” festival is set to run for nine days from Feb. 4 to 13.
“It is about improving our city pride, our cultural vibrancy, and that benefit to our local economy,” Mayor Sandra Masters said during the announcement Thursday morning. “It’s about socializing, it’s about that ability to connect. We’re going to be outdoors, and yes we may have to wear masks but it’ll be safe.”
The festival will be spread across Regina with four different “hubs, located in downtown near Victoria Park, the warehouse district, Wascana Park and the exhibition grounds. Each hub is supposed to have its own specialized attractions.
Tim Reid, the President and CEO of Regina Exhibition Association Limited, said that there will be something for everybody.
“No matter what your budget is, there’s something for you,” he said.
Organizers said Indigenous involvement in the event is very important. The logo for the event was created by Indigenous artist Brandy Jones.
“It’s a mixture of Metis, Inuit, Haida, and Salish,” she said about the logo’s design. “What it represents is the unity of Indigenous people. And all the bright colors represent every Indigenous nation.”
The festival is an expensive endeavor which is why the provincial, and municipal government have partnered with the Regina Hotel Association along with hub organizations such as the Regina Exhibition Association, Provincial Capital Commission, the Regina Downtown and Regina Warehouse Business Improvement Districts.
Funding for the event has exceeded $300,000 already, according to city councillor Lori Bresciani. The committee is expecting more sponsors to come forward in the coming months.
Reid is happy the festival is coming to fruition and is excited that the city will be revamping tourism in a season that almost always sees a drop off in the industry.
“This was really to embrace the fact that the city was embracing a winter city strategy,” he explained. “It was a recognition that we have to celebrate winter in this city. And when you’re a city that has as many months of winter as we do, we actually need active programming.”
The city encourages everyone to bundle up and come out and see what winter wonders are on display come Feb. 4.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada less than halfway to Afghan resettlement goal one year after Taliban takeover
A year after the Taliban seized control of Kabul, Canada's resettlement efforts have lagged behind official targets and the efforts to help those fleeing the war in Ukraine. More than 17,300 Afghans have arrived in Canada since last August compared to 71,800 Ukrainians who have come to Canada in 2022 alone.

British regulator 1st in world to OK Moderna's updated COVID booster
British drug regulators have become the first in the world to authorize an updated version of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine that aims to protect against the original virus and the omicron variant.
Canada home prices and sales fall again in July
Canada's average resale home price fell 4.5% from a year ago in July and was down 5.4% on the month as buyers continued to sit on the sidelines amid rising borrowing costs.
Anne Heche taken off life support, 9 days after car crash
Anne Heche, the Emmy-winning film and television actor whose dramatic Hollywood rise in the 1990s and accomplished career contrasted with personal chapters of turmoil, died of injuries from a fiery car crash. She was 53.
China announces new drills as U.S. delegation visits Taiwan
China announced more military drills around Taiwan as the self-governing island's president met with members of a new U.S. congressional delegation on Monday, threatening to renew tensions between Beijing and Washington just days after a similar visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi angered China.
Afghanistan marks 1 year since Taliban seizure as woes mount
The Taliban on Monday marked a year since they seized the Afghan capital of Kabul, a rapid takeover that triggered a hasty escape of the nation's Western-backed leaders and transformed the country.
Iran denies involvement but justifies Salman Rushdie attack
An Iranian government official denied on Monday that Tehran was involved in the assault on author Salman Rushdie, though he justified the stabbing in remarks that represented the Islamic Republic's first public comments on the attack.
About 4,000 beagles destined for drug experiments finding new homes
About 4,000 beagles are looking for homes after animal rescue organizations started removing them from a Virginia facility that bred them to be sold to laboratories for drug experiments.
Brothers dead after SUV crashes into North Carolina restaurant, police say
A sport utility vehicle crashed into a North Carolina fast-food restaurant on Sunday, killing two sibling customers, police said.