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It might not feel very frosty outside but the FROST Regina festival is officially underway, filling the city with winter-inspired activities, food, and experiences designed to work even when February doesn’t cooperate.
The festival runs over the next three weekends and mixes indoor and outdoor programming, from street hockey and crokicurl to Indigenous Games and indoor snowboarding. Organizers say the goal is to get people active, engaged and together, regardless of the weather.
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Kyle Russell, vice-president of operations and experience with the REAL District, says this year’s FROST festival is especially meaningful for him as it marks his first since moving to Regina.
“This is really exciting for me,” Russell said. “I’m new to Regina, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the community get active during the winter.”
Russell said the festival is also drawing visitors from outside the city, including his own family, who are travelling from Calgary to experience FROST.
“We’re really excited about folks coming from all over the province to experience our venues here,” he said.
A major draw this weekend is access to Mosaic Stadium, where festival-goers can step onto the field and experience the space usually reserved for Saskatchewan Roughriders game days.
“One of the most exciting things about Mosaic Stadium is just getting on the field where the Riders play,” Russell said.
“A big part of the experience is taking photos with your family and just being where your feet normally wouldn’t go.”
Activities at Mosaic Stadium give festival-goers access to spaces usually reserved for game days, including family-friendly obstacle courses on the field. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)
Among the most talked-about attractions is a mechanical snowboard making its first appearance at Frost, bringing an Olympic-inspired challenge indoors.
Bill Tufts of Alliance Activations, the man behind the new activity, says the experience is designed to be accessible while still testing balance and skill.
Indoor snowboarding is one of the Olympic-inspired attractions at Frost Festival, giving people a chance to test their balance without snow or hills. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)
“This is a great Olympic-based activity,” Tufts said. “We can take riders of all ages, young to old, and put them on the snowboard. It’s all about balance.”
The oversized board rotates, oscillates, and spins while riders try to stay centred. Participants get two falls to post their best score, with top performers landing a spot on the leaderboard.
“If you touch any part of the yellow, that counts as a fall,” Tufts explained. “You get two falls to go as high up the leaderboard as you can.”
Tufts said he has seen riders complete all five difficulty levels, something he described as “insane” and highly athletic.
REAL’s Russell tried the indoor snowboard and said it delivers more adrenaline than expected.
“It’s a lot more nerve-wracking than you would expect,” Russell said. “But once you get on, the adrenaline takes over, and you feel like you’re gliding on air.”
They added that the experience is welcoming even for people with no snowboarding background.
“Your biggest hurdle is the fear,” one participant said. “Once you get past that, it’s an excellent time, and you want to do it again.”
The FROST festival menu focuses on warm, familiar foods designed to keep families comfortable during winter activities, regardless of the weather outside. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)
Food is also a central part of the FROST experience this year, with organizers focusing on familiar, family-friendly comfort foods.
Chaminda Ambagaspitiye, executive chef for the REAL District, said the menu was built to appeal to everyone, from kids to grandparents.
“FROST itself is a family event,” Ambagaspitiye said. “So the menu strategy is made so everyone can enjoy it.”
Offerings include perogies, poutine, local Harvest hot dogs, churros, and a hot chocolate bar, along with a new signature item, the “Frosty Dog.”
Festival-goers can choose from classic hot dogs and specialty creations, including the Frosty Dog, which adds a winter-inspired twist to a familiar staple.(Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)
“We took something familiar and created it in a FROSTy way,” he said, explaining that the hot dog is topped with shredded coconut and a special spice blend designed to resemble snow and frost.
With warmer-than-usual temperatures this February, Russell says organizers have planned for flexibility.
“We’re experts at producing events,” he said. “We have contingency plans in place to make sure we’re offering a great experience no matter what the weather provides.”
FROST Regina organizers are encouraging residents to come out, explore, and discover what the festival has to offer, even if the weather stays mild.
Kyle Russell, vice-president of operations and experience with the REAL District, stands beside the festival mascot Jack. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)
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