Lloydminster, AB/SK – On most days, Cenovus Energy Hub is home to hockey practices, skating programs, tournaments, and community events.
On June 12, it will become something entirely different.
When Canadian country star Josh Ross takes the stage at Cenovus Energy Hub, thousands of fans will fill the building for what has the potential to be the largest concert ever hosted in Lloydminster. While concertgoers will experience a few hours of music and entertainment, the transformation required to make it happen begins days earlier and involves an impressive amount of planning, coordination, and hard work.
Crews will start by removing 165 panes of glass surrounding the ice surface to ensure everyone has a good view of the stage. If a concert occurs during the hockey season, the rink is converted into a concert-ready space with the installation of more than 530 special floor tiles laid carefully atop the ice surface.
“People see the finished product on concert night, but what happens behind the scenes is an incredible team effort,” said Don Bowey, Manager of Cenovus Energy Hub. “Every step of the conversion process has to be carefully coordinated to ensure the facility is ready to deliver a safe and memorable experience for thousands of guests.”
From there, the arena begins its transformation from an ice facility into a large-scale concert venue. The rented concert stage – measuring approximately 40 feet wide by four feet high – will be assembled piece by piece before the Maz Entertainment team begins assembling nearly $1-million worth of lighting, sound equipment, and rigging. The production will require several transport trucks, a platoon of crew members, and kilometres of cable to bring the show to life.
Every speaker, light fixture, and piece of rigging must be carefully positioned and tested to ensure fans throughout the building enjoy a world-class concert experience.
The Lloydminster Bobcats are the contracted food and beverage service-provider at the Hub, and their team will be busy preparing to serve thousands of guests. In addition to the regular concession windows on the concourse, a pop-up bar will provide beverage service for guests on the floor during the Josh Ross concert. Guest services and ticketing teams coordinate entry procedures and seating plans. Security personnel, custodians, and facility operators work together to ensure every aspect of the event runs smoothly from the moment doors open until the final encore.
While much of this activity happens out of sight, it reflects one of the key reasons Cenovus Energy Hub was built.
From its loading and staging capabilities to its power infrastructure and event-support spaces, the building was intentionally equipped to host major entertainment events alongside sports, recreation, and community programming. The Josh Ross concert will be the first opportunity for many residents to see that vision in action.
The evening will also showcase some of Canada’s emerging country music talent, with opening performer Zach McPhee taking the stage as the opening act. The British Columbia singer-songwriter has quickly become one of the country’s fastest-rising country artists, earning national attention after winning SiriusXM’s Top of the Country competition.
“This concert represents an exciting milestone not only for Cenovus Energy Hub, but for Lloydminster as a whole,” said Mayor Gerald Aalbers. “The facility was built to create opportunities like this – bringing major events to our community, attracting visitors to the region, and creating experiences that people will reminisce about for years.”
For Lloydminster, June 12 represents more than a concert. It’s a chance to gather with friends, neighbours, and visitors from across the region for a shared experience in a facility built to bring people together. It’s an opportunity to showcase what the community can host and what the future of entertainment in Lloydminster can look like.
When the lights go down and the music begins, fans will have a great view of the action.
What they won’t see are the days of preparation, planning, and teamwork that transformed a sheet of ice into the biggest stage in Lloydminster.
Image supplied by the City of Lloydminster
