There are things to do in Regina

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Op-Ed 1BArticle: Alec Salloum – News Editor

[dropcaps round=”no”]E[/dropcaps]ver hear someone say, “There’s never anything to do in Regina?” Or, how about, “We have nothing going on here and this city has absolutely no culture?” Having lived in Regina for two decades and hearing such sentiments ad nauseam, I’ve gotten really damn tired of this attitude.

Regina is currently growing, in population and in culture, and with that there is a wealth of things to do in town. There are multiple concerts weekly at bars like O’Hanlon’s, McNally’s and Bushwakkers, typically showcasing local and provincial talent. At Bushwakkers, Mondays and Wednesdays are respectively Jazz and Folk nights. Additionally, Tuesdays and Fridays are concerts at O’Hans. These nights are fairly popular, draw crowds, are fun and free.

There alone you have four nights of music and content without considering concerts and shows at any of the cities dedicated venues. This all exists alongside a healthy and local music scene, with local labels like Touchwood Studios and Harvest King Records boasting an impressive list of acts. In turn, local shows and annual events like the Harvest King Christmas party or Mayday at The Exchange can show some pretty impressive Regina talent.

The Regina Public Library Film Theatre has weekly showings of obscure, classic, foreign and non-mainstream films. You can see films there that were released to the major theaters, so this often includes films originally aired at Sundance, SXSW or Nimes that didn’t get a wide release. Many of these are award winning or controversial, the best recent example would be The Act Killing by Joshua Oppenheimer. Also this month Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer is playing!

Regina also has a tonne of art galleries, most focusing on local and Saskatchewan artists. Exhibits and events at galleries around Regina are frequent events with new works or exhibits drawing crowds.

The point of this is that, in town, there are bunch of things to do week to week without having to look very far.

So here’s the crux of this article – if you can’t find anything to do in Regina, or you think it’s a boring place to live, you aren’t fucking looking. And if you are, and you decide not to attend events, you are equally to blame. Apathy will foster nothing for a developing scene, so participate! If you’re not willing to show up to a free show, concert or exhibit, or willing to start a band or do something creative, what gives you any right to whine or complain?

Regina has everything a big city has; you just don’t get stuck for hours in traffic or on public transit on your way around town. It’s also important to note that the above examples are by no means a comprehensive list of Regina events. What wasn’t mentioned? What do you love about the city? And what events would you recommend?

[button style=”e.g. solid, border” size=”e.g. small, medium, big” link=”” target=””]Image: Michael Chmielewski[/button]

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