By Alabama NewsCenter Staff
Ice skating comes to Railroad Park the day after Thanksgiving; the park opens its brand new rink Nov. 25 at 10 a.m.
The 50’ x 70’ rink with real ice will be positioned on the brick surface on Railroad Park’s 17th Street Plaza. The rink will be open throughout the holiday season, closing in mid-January. The rink will be open seven days a week, including Christmas and New Year’s.
Hours of operation for the rink are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day hours are noon to 8 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for a two-hour session, including skate rental. Individuals are welcome to bring their own skates. The group rate for 20 or more skaters is $8 per person.
Also new to the park this season is the American Family Care Holiday Market. Each Saturday from Nov. 26 to Dec. 24, various merchants will sell seasonal gifts and treats. The Boxcar Cafe will be open this winter, selling hot chocolate and other cold weather fare.
“Railroad Park will come alive this winter in ways that it hasn’t before,” said Camille Spratling, executive director of the Railroad Park Foundation. “2016 has been about creating new ways for visitors to enjoy the park. We held our very first overnight campout with families. We had a series of dancing events this summer, and we just held the fifth annual Trucks by the Tracks food truck festival.
“Now we’re hosting an outdoor ice skating rink in a central location for everyone to enjoy. Our goal is to continue to bring Birmingham’s residents together to experience what our city has to offer,” she said.
Railroad Park will host birthday parties, holiday parties, and corporate gatherings at the new rink. The park will also host different theme nights open to the public, including “tacky sweater night” and “SEC team night.” Railroad Park will announce the theme night schedule across social media channels.
Ice skating tickets will be available online. To schedule an event or book group tickets, call Railroad Park’s office at 205.521.9933 or email events@railroadpark.org.
Winter Wonderland is sponsored by the Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust, American Family Care, the City of Birmingham, Birmingham City Council, McKinney Capital, the Will Brooke Family, and AL.com.
Magic Ice USA, headquartered in Miami, is constructing and maintaining the Railroad Park rink. Magic Ice has maintained ice rinks in Detroit, Charlotte, Denver, San Francisco, Nashville, and many others. Installation of Railroad Park rink begins in early November.
Railroad Park is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Railroad Park is monitored around the clock by a state-of-the-art security system and by rangers on patrol.
