Frost Regina invites city to chill out at fourth winter festival

Regina’s fourth Frost winter festival promises a break from the winter blues with a mix of arts, culture and sports.

The winter festival will run in the Queen City from Thursday to Saturday, with indoor and outdoor events at locations downtown, in Wascana Park, and at the Warehouse District.

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Ice sculptures decorate Victoria Park for the Frost festival. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)

Festival goers will be able to enjoy activities like ice skating, ice sculpting, and rides in horse-drawn carriages.

Trevor Walsh, the vice-president of venue management and event service at the REAL District, said there is no charge to get into the festival’s events.

“Everything at Frost this year is free, so that’s a major change from the past three years, and it’s really just that much more available for everyone in the city to come down and enjoy,” he said.

Sophie Farrell, manager of member engagement at the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District, said the festival will feature many snowboarding events. Farrell said a three-storey slope has been built in Victoria Park for a street-style snowboarding competition called The Grind.

“It’s a huge structure in the middle of Victoria Park, but we’re really excited for this experience,” she said.

Walsh said crews with snowblowers and front-loaders have been working for days to get the slope built.

Crews prepare the three-storey slope for The Grind, a snowboarding competition. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)

“The big achievement is obviously building a three-story snowboarding hill,” he said.

“We’re kind of learning all the trials and tribulations of building a three-story snowboard park in the city centre.”

The Grind will bring together 16 Canadian and international snowboarders competing for a $30,000 prize. The competition runs from 6-9 p.m. on Friday and 6-8 p.m. Saturday.

Snowboarding fanatics will also be able to test out the slopes for free at 2 p.m. on Saturday before the final event.

Young Avelina Stroud was at the opening ceremonies on Wednesday evening, and said she was impressed with all the different lights.

“I really like the skating rink and I really like the ice sculptures,” she added.

Stroud said she plans to lace up her skates and glide around the rink at Victoria Park when she gets the chance.

Lisa DeJong, a silver-medal Paralympic snowboarder, will be reading a children’s book she wrote at the Regina Public Library on Saturday. Local artists will also paint snowboards at a warming lodge in Victoria Park.

Artist Geanna Dunbar paints a snowboard. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)

A firework display will conclude The Grind’s competition in Victoria Park on Saturday.

GLOW, the indoor light display that was featured at previous Frost festivals, will not be returning this year.

Walsh said the decision was made after consulting with the City of Regina and the festival’s planning committees, who encouraged organizers to try something new.

A volleyball tournament will be hosted this weekend at the REAL District, where the festival was formerly held.

More information on Frost Regina can be found on the festival’s website.