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Medicine Hat’s Spectrum Festival back in Kin Coulee Park this weekend

May 28, 2026 | 8:21 AM

Spectrum Festival returns to Medicine Hat this weekend with live music, cultural events, wrestling, skateboarding and family activities at Kin Coulee Park.

The long-running community festival runs Friday through Sunday, and continues the festival season after last weekend’s Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival.

Spectrum board member Bill Woolmer says having major community events on back-to-back weekends helps create excitement heading into summer while offering residents a variety of entertainment options.

“All the festivals that we put on within the city, they’re for the people,” Woolmer said.

“The nice thing about it is we all have the same goal with just different attractions.”

This year’s festival lineup begins Friday at 5 p.m. with an opening ceremony.

Professional wrestling from Pure Power Wrestling returns Friday through Sunday, with the festival wrapping up Sunday afternoon following its headline wrestling match. Friday is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday is from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday is from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Local wrestlers include Cam!!ikaze and Tyler Knox.

Live music runs Friday and Saturday with the Coulchella concert and a Beer Gardens hosted by the Silver Buckle Sports Bar in Kin Coulee Park starting at 7 p.m., with a new artist at the top of each hour. Friday’s acts include Three Minute Thunder, Smiling Politely, Don’t Tell Mama, and Warehouse Cats. Saturday is Rhinestone, Trouble Makin’ Troubadours, Kickin Dirt, and Rent To Own.

Tone Bellydance will perform at 1 p.m. on Saturday, with an afternoon musical performance from Three Minute Thunder at 2 p.m.

The event also includes food trucks, a vendor’s market, a free kids zone and bouncy castles.

One of the major additions for 2026 is a dedicated first responders day on Saturday.

Organizers are hoping HALO Air Ambulance‘s helicopter will land in Kin Coulee Park and remain on-site for the day, pending weather and emergency availability.

Saturday will also feature a free pancake breakfast beginning at 9 a.m., along with appearances from Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services, Cypress County emergency crews and the Medicine Hat Police Service.

Spectrum is also expanding its programming this year with a new multicultural festival on Sunday designed to celebrate the diversity within Medicine Hat. A multicultural presentation will begin at 1:30 p.m.

“We’re really trying to diversify Spectrum so that it’s for everybody,” Woolmer said.

The cultural festival will include food, music, dancing and entertainment representing a variety of cultures from across the community.

Another new addition is the first annual Spectrum Skatejam skateboard competition, scheduled for Saturday. The event includes a morning skate school for youth, followed by the competition starting at noon and running through the afternoon. Skateboards can take some of the over $1,000 in prize money up for grabs.

Woolmer said organizers are working alongside the Medicine Hat Skateboard Association to continue growing interest ahead of the larger Beat the Heat event later this summer.

Festival gates will open Friday at 4 p.m. Events continue Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m., before wrapping up Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Aside from food, beverages and vendor purchases, nearly all entertainment and activities at the festival are free.

“The music’s free, the dancing’s free, everything is free,” Woolmer said. “We’re just trying to make sure there’s something for everybody.”

Additional information is available through the Spectrum Festival social media page.