Nutrien Wintershines Festival

FROSTY FANTASIA- Nutrien WinterShines: A Celebration of Saskatoon’s Winter Magic

FEBRUARY 15 – 22, 2025

Join us in embracing Saskatoon’s winter spirit during the February school break with Nutrien WinterShines! Held in Market Square, the Gather Local building, and the Banks in Riversdale (between Avenue A and Avenue C on 19th Street), this festival transforms our city into a frosty wonderland. We are a WINTER city – let’s celebrate it together!

This year, explore the enchanting Fantasia Ice Gardens, inspired by Disney’s Fantasia, a film that brings music to life through animation. The gardens feature a series of stunning ice sculptures, crafted through the collaboration of talented designers and artists. Construction is led by Doug Lingelbach ( Saskatoon), Marina Coles (Alberta), and Julio Martinez (Mexico) with mesmerizing lighting effects by Production Lighting. Walk through this magical space and experience the visual interpretation of music, much like Fantasia itself. Sample ideas include:

Flight of Whales: Three-dimensional animation comes to life as a pod of whales soar into the sky, launched by the explosion of a supernova over their icy world.
Chernabog: Inspired by the menacing, winged demon from Night on Bald Mountain in Fantasia, this towering sculpture captures the terrifying grandeur of the "Black God" from Slavic mythology

In this festival you all will find some exciting fan-favorite indoor events

Wide-Open Soup Cook-Off: Sunday, February 16 – Gather Local - Open to anyone ready to compete for the title of best soup.
#YXE Chefs Soup Cook-Off: Wednesday, February 19, TCU Place - Saskatoon’s top chefs serve up their most delicious soups.
Telescope Stargazing: Get a closer look at the skies through the lens with Tim Yaworski.
Inukshuk Making- Don’t miss the chance to create your very own Inukshuk - a hands-on experience celebrating creativity and culture.
Face Painting: Add some colour to your day with our exciting face painting station- fun for all age.
Princess & other Characters: Meet a Princess an some superheroes for the whole family.
Scavenger Hunt: Can you beat this clever puzzle and find the treasure? Complete it and be entered to win one of the many prizes.
Paint Night and Board Games Night, sleigh rides and so much more.