The Saskatchewan Winter Games for 2026 will be jointly hosted by members of the Flying Dust First Nation and Meadow Lake City. This marks the first time that a First Nation and a city will co-host the Winter Games. The event is scheduled to take place on Treaty 6 Territory from February 15-21, 2026. The 2026 Games will have Davin Hildebrand, deputy director of Education with Northwest School Division; Dwight King, recreation coordinator with Flying Dust First Nation; and Regan Beck, Parks and Recreation manager with the City of Meadow Lake, as co-chairs.
Meadow Lake and Flying Dust First Nation (FDFN) have a history of hosting major events individually. In 2019, the Tony Cote First Nations Summer Games were held in Flying Dust First Nation, and in 2012, Meadow Lake hosted the Saskatchewan Games. A new multi-purpose arena and recreation facility called The Co-Op Centre is being developed and will serve as a major hub of activity during the games. The Co-Op Centre is expected to open next year.
The 2026 Saskatchewan Winter Games will bring together around 1,800 participants and 5,000 spectators from all over the province. There will be over 1,000 community volunteers involved in the event, which is expected to generate up to $7 million in tourism spending, capital investment, and facility upgrades for the local economy.
The 2026 Saskatchewan Winter Games will include the following sports: Alpine Skiing, Artistic Swimming, Badminton, Biathlon, Bowling (5 Pin and Special Olympics), Cross Country and Para Nordic Skiing, Curling, Figure Skating, Futsal, Gymnastics, Judo, Speed Skating, Table Tennis, Target Shooting, Weightlifting, Wrestling, and Ringette, which was last featured at the 1998 Saskatchewan Winter Games in Nipawin. The Winter Games in Regina held in February 2023 celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Saskatchewan Games.
Since 1972, this Saskatchewan event has alternated between summer and winter every two years, except for 2020 and 2022. Officials see hosting the games as a chance to build on their previous experience and showcase Meadow Lake’s new facility, while the community comes together to welcome everyone to this biennial event.
