This holiday season, downtown Santa Rosa has a sustainable touch of festive magic, as the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber recently brought back its synthetic ice rink for the annual Winter Lights celebration. The eco-friendly rink is now open in Old Courthouse Square, designed for family fun and a bit of seasonal sparkle, through Dec. 31.
The festivities officially began on Friday, Nov. 29, with the Winter Lights Tree Lighting Celebration. This free community event saw locals and visitors alike gathering for an evening of holiday cheer, featuring performances on the synthetic ice, live entertainment, activities for kids and even photo ops with Santa. “Turning Downtown into a festive destination benefits Santa Rosa residents as well as our local shop and restaurant owners. This is a perfect way to provide festive entertainment and help make our downtown vibrant,” said Janelle Meyers, VP of marketing & communications for the Chamber and Visit Santa Rosa.
The rink itself is an eco-marvel. Manufactured by Swiss company Glice, it uses heat-pressed polymers instead of ice, eliminating the need for water and electricity. The materials are fully recyclable, making this a guilt-free way to glide into holiday joy. Tickets are $11 per 45-minute session, which includes skate rentals (sizes range from children’s to men’s 9). Skaters with their own sharp blades are welcome to bring them along.
Visitors may make a day of their outing by exploring the 50+ restaurants, bars, shops and seasonal markets nearby. Whether one is in the mood for hot cocoa or holiday shopping, downtown Santa Rosa is packed with options to complement a skating session.
The rink and Winter Lights festivities are made possible by the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber in collaboration with the local business community. Redwood Credit Union has once again stepped up as the presenting sponsor, alongside a host of other contributors, including Kaiser Permanente, Keysight and Exchange Bank.
Tickets for the rink are available now at downtownsantarosa.org/winterlights, where one can also find operating hours and more details on Winter Lights events.
