Nutrien Wintershines

Saskatoon Embraces the Cold

Nutrien Wintershines is Saskatoon's annual winter festival, a multi-day celebration that transforms the city's riverbank parks and downtown core into a winter playground. The festival typically runs for a week in late January or early February and brings together speed skating competitions, snow sculpture displays, outdoor concerts, and community-organized activities that encourage residents and visitors to get outside and enjoy the Saskatchewan winter rather than endure it.

The festival is named for its presenting sponsor, Nutrien, the Saskatoon-based agricultural company, and its core programming centres on the frozen South Saskatchewan River and the Meewasin Valley trail system. Speed skating has been a central element since the festival's early days, and the annual long-track and short-track races draw competitive skaters from across Western Canada. But the festival has expanded well beyond skating to include cultural events, food programming, and family activities that appeal to a broad audience.

Festival Activities

Speed Skating

Wintershines has its roots in speed skating, and the competitive races remain the festival's signature events. The outdoor long-track oval, set up on a frozen section of the South Saskatchewan River or in one of the city's parks, hosts provincial and regional championships. Short-track races and learn-to-skate clinics provide opportunities for all skill levels. Watching the long-track races, with skaters reaching remarkable speeds on natural ice against a backdrop of riverbank scenery, is one of the most distinctly prairie sporting experiences in Canada.

Snow Sculptures

Teams from across Saskatchewan and beyond gather to carve massive snow blocks into works of art. The sculptures are displayed along the Meewasin trail and in downtown Saskatoon, where they remain until spring temperatures claim them. The competition categories include professional, amateur, and youth divisions, making it accessible to carvers at every level.

Outdoor Recreation

Beyond skating, the festival programs a range of winter activities including snowshoeing along the Meewasin trail, cross-country skiing, curling bonspiels, and fat-tire biking. The river valley setting gives these activities a scenic quality that sets Wintershines apart from indoor-focused winter events. Guided walks led by local naturalists explore the winter ecology of the river valley and provide a different perspective on the landscape.

Cultural and Community Events

Wintershines partners with local arts organizations, Indigenous groups, and cultural communities to offer programming that reflects Saskatoon's diversity. Film screenings, storytelling circles, gallery exhibitions, and musical performances are scheduled throughout the festival week. The Night Lights event, featuring illuminated art installations and lantern walks along the riverbank, has become one of the festival's most popular attractions in recent years.

Visiting Saskatoon in Winter

Saskatoon in late January is reliably cold, with daytime highs typically between minus-fifteen and minus-twenty-five Celsius. The prairie wind can make it feel even colder. Full winter gear is not negotiable for outdoor activities. The city's downtown core is compact and walkable, with restaurants, coffee shops, and the Remai Modern art museum providing indoor warming options between outdoor activities.

The festival sites are spread along the riverbank and through downtown, connected by the Meewasin Valley trail system. Most are accessible by Saskatoon Transit, and parking is available at the major sites. The Broadway Bridge and University Bridge areas offer good starting points for exploring the festival on foot.

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