By Niki Cervantes
Staff Writer
October 23, 2017 -- Brutal heat wave aside, “winter is coming,” Downtown officials say as they put the final, chilly touches on the 11th annual “Ice at Santa Monica,” a popular holiday ice rink downtown set to open November 1.
The annual event features 8,000-square-feet of real ice for skating and playing, under swirling faux-snowfall at the corner of 5th Street and Arizona Avenue on what is normally a downtown parking lot.
Produced by Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM), Ice will be open seven days a week -- holidays included -- through January 15, Downtown officials announced last week.
“It has become more than just an ice skating rink," said Kevin Herrera, senior communication and marketing manager for DTSM. "It’s a community gathering place where family, friends and neighbors can catch up with one another, share stories and make memories.
"It takes a lot of work to produce every year, but when you see all the smiles on the kids’ faces, and the adults too, it truly makes it all worthwhile.”
A winter wonderland is a particularly happy thought today, with even Santa Monica predicted to reach 95 degrees and hover there until Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Meanwhile, an excessive heat warning was issued early Monday for the Greater Los Angeles region, with northeast winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour.
Ice at Santa Monica will throw a Grand Opening Celebration on November 8 with free skating and eats from local restaurants.
From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., some of California’s most elite skaters will perform and a free skate session will be offered to the beat of DJ jams.
The event is free to the public. Guests are asked to bring a new unwrapped gift or gift card to support the PAL Best Gift Ever Toy Drive, which provides presents to needy children in Santa Monica.
The 2016-17 season drew nearly 55,000 skaters to the rink and 104 birthday celebrations and events to the cabanas that line the perimeter.
For those looking to up their technique, lessons are available through the figure skating champion Randy Gardner's School of Skating, which provided 436 lessons this past season.
