Saskatoon Concerts, Blades & Live Events

The Broadway and Riversdale corridors, running roughly along Broadway Avenue from the river south, are Saskatoon's independent music, theater, and bar district. The Broadway Theatre — a converted 1946 cinema — is the heart of the strip and programs indie film, live music, comedy, and spoken word almost nightly. Amigos Cantina, Vangelis Tavern, and Buds on Broadway run live music most weekends. Restaurants along Broadway book up fast on event nights. The strip is walkable from the river and well-served by Saskatoon Transit. Free street festivals in summer shut down sections of Broadway for music and food.

Downtown Saskatoon, between Idylwyld and 1st Avenue along 21st Street and 22nd Street, holds TCU Place — the city's main concert hall and home of the Saskatoon Symphony — and the historic Bessborough Hotel on the riverfront. Capitol Music Club on 2nd Avenue runs live music and comedy nightly. Persephone Theatre at the Remai Arts Centre sits on River Landing, walkable from most downtown hotels. Restaurants along 2nd and 3rd Avenue handle pre-show crowds. The downtown Saskatoon Transit terminal at 23rd and 3rd is the city's transit hub.

Stonebridge and the surrounding south Saskatoon neighborhoods have grown into a major suburban entertainment district over the last decade, with restaurants, casual dining, and smaller event venues lining Preston Avenue and 8th Street. The area is car-friendly with plentiful free parking. Stonebridge is closer to SaskTel Centre via Circle Drive than the central downtown. Casual restaurants, family-friendly pubs, and a handful of small live music rooms fill the dining strip. Hotel options near 8th Street are popular for visitors heading to Blades games or SaskTel Centre concerts.

University Heights and the area around the University of Saskatchewan, north of downtown across the river, runs on student energy through the school year. Merlis Belsher Place hosts Huskies hockey and U Sports basketball and volleyball. Griffiths Stadium hosts Huskies football. The campus's Place Riel student centre programs free and ticketed events for students. Bars along College Drive and small music rooms in the area handle student nights through the academic year. Walkable to campus from most University Heights residences, and well-served by the University Bridge to downtown.

Wintershines Festival runs through early February with free outdoor activities along the Meewasin Trail and the riverfront, including ice sculptures and skating. Blades home games are in their winter peak at SaskTel Centre. Persephone Theatre and the Broadway Theatre are mid-season. Saskatoon Symphony continues at TCU Place. Bessborough hosts ticketed winter dinner concerts and galas. Cold-weather restaurant week and Saskatoon Restaurant Month draw foodies to deals across the city.

Blades playoff runs typically extend into early April at SaskTel Centre. Persephone Theatre and Broadway Theatre mainstage seasons continue. TCU Place hosts touring Broadway and dance productions. Patios begin to reopen across Broadway, 2nd Avenue, and downtown as the weather warms. Bessborough hosts spring weddings and galas through the month.

SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival kicks off in late June at the Bessborough, Bess Gardens, and clubs across the city, running into early July. The PotashCorp Children's Festival in early June draws family crowds to the riverfront for four days of theater, music, and hands-on activities. Patios are at full capacity. Huskies football pre-season programming begins. Days are long and warm.

Jazz Festival programming wraps in the first week of July. Canada Day on July 1st brings free programming at the riverfront and Friendship Park with fireworks. The Saskatoon Fringe Festival begins in late July, running across Broadway venues for nearly two weeks. Saskatoon Exhibition runs at Prairieland Park with rides, midway, and concerts. Outdoor concerts at the Meewasin Trail continue weekly.

Folkfest takes over more than a dozen cultural pavilions across two weekends in mid-August — one of the largest multicultural festivals in the prairies. Saskatoon Fringe Festival continues into early August. Big Valley Jamboree in nearby Camrose, Alberta in early August pulls country fans from across the prairies. Saskatoon Ex wraps in the first week. Patios are full and the days are warm.

Blades pre-season home games start at SaskTel Centre. Huskies football home schedule opens at Griffiths Stadium. Persephone Theatre and Saskatoon Symphony open their fall seasons. Broadway Theatre's fall slate fills with film, indie music, and touring comedy. Outdoor patios still strong through the early weeks of the month. Touring acts pick up at TCU Place as the fall touring season kicks in.

Blades regular season is in full swing at SaskTel Centre most weekends. Huskies football home schedule continues at Griffiths Stadium through to the Hardy Cup. Halloween events fill Broadway and 2nd Avenue bars on the weekend closest to the 31st. Persephone Theatre and Saskatoon Symphony fall productions are mid-run. Saskatchewan Conservation Awards and other fall galas at the Bessborough.

Holiday programming runs across Persephone Theatre, the Broadway Theatre, and TCU Place. Saskatoon Symphony's holiday concerts and Messiah singalong fill the season at TCU Place. Bessborough hosts holiday dinner concerts and galas through the month. Christmas at the Forks-style programming runs along Meewasin Trail. New Year's Eve programming runs across downtown hotels, Broadway, and Stonebridge. Blades home games continue at SaskTel Centre most weekends.