Things To Do in Saskatoon

The chefs at Miramar Restaurant fry, grill, and steam a flavourful array of classic Chinese dishes. Beef and broccoli are topped with a succulent dark sauce, and barbecued pork plates tempt eyes and tongues with colourful mixed vegetables. Among house specialties, the Bird Nest pays tribute to a storied delicacy without actually displacing neighbourhood wildlife. A selection of vegetarian options ensures diners of all dietary stripes leave satiated.

The top rope and lead climbing routes at Grip It Indoor Rock Climbing beckon wall scramblers up an extensive variety of vertical terrain suitable for any skill level. For novices, the gym's team of certified instructors offers one-on-one coaching and lead classes such as an Introductory offering, appropriate for those unacquainted with the sport or those with an uncontrollable tendency to keep rocks as pets. Climbers can also enlist themselves for longer climbing programs, such as the Technique course, which helps improve form and mindset, and Learn to Lead, which instills safe indoor climbing skills.

Originally built in 1946, Broadway Theatre enjoyed an almost 50-year tenure of showing the popular films of the time and hosting live productions before it was sadly forced to close its doors in 1993. Dismayed by the loss of their theatre, members of the community came together, purchased the venue, and reopened it, and Broadway Theatre has remained under their watchful protection ever since. Now, the movie house screens independent films gathered from around the world and plays host to improv-comedy shows, concerts, and professional fire drills.

Saskatoon Paintball deploys combatants at two separate locations, including an outdoor field in Vanscoy that remains open year-round and features 10 different battle zones. During winter months, an indoor facility on Valley Road invites teams in from the cold to pelt each other with reballs, or rubber paintballs. The indoor location also features a spacious viewing area, as well as a pro shop stocked with the sport’s latest equipment.

Nestled along the South Saskatchewan river valley in Victoria Park, the Riverside Badminton & Tennis Club sends racqueteers bounding after shuttlecocks and bouncing balls seven days per week. Nine tennis courts host seesawing scrimmages atop freshly resurfaced grounds, which are illuminated after nightfall. Competitors can also battle racquet-to-racquet on six hardwood badminton courts. Aside from day-to-day drop-in games, the club also offers lessons, camps, and leagues to help players of all ages to hone their skills, and Riverside's attentive staff remains on duty to dish out advice and mediate arguments between rival ball machines. Other on-site amenities include a pro shop and lounge area.

Though they owned successful health clubs, the founders of Fitness For 10 were growing frustrated as they floundered to keep profits up while paying salespeople, group fitness trainers, and childcare providers. So they founded Fitness For 10 to cut out the extra fluff, stocking their club with just the workout essentials. Their return to basics paid off, and today, they have more than 10 clubs in the United States and Canada.

At the Regina location, rows of elliptical trainers and other cardio machines line the checkered floor, in addition to three complete exercise circuits, a range of free weights, and SportsArt Fitness strength-training machines. Bright yellow, green, and orange walls energize eyes as guests hit the treadmills or grab exercise balls from the front lobby. After hearty sweat sessions, guests can slip into a tanning bed to bronze their skin for lounging on the beach or distinguishing themselves from their doppelgänger snowmen.

Visitors enter the Wintergreen Fine Craft Market to peruse and purchase the handmade work of more than 80 craft artists, visual artists, and local food producers. Art-seekers can stock up on traditional and contemporary creations such as jewellery, furniture, and professional photography that prompt guests' point-and-shoot cameras to flash their approval in morse code. Peer through glass pieces to the see the world differently, knock on wooden artwork for luck, or flesh out living-room galleries with a sculpture. After inspecting the main booths, crafty duos can meander over to the emerging-artists booth, where up-and-coming masterpiece makers showcase work in styles such as mixed media, painting, and printmaking. All of the event's art creators undergo a rigorous jury process that separates the artisans from the crowds of people who just figured out they could use a ponytail as a paintbrush.