Denver’s free holiday ice skating rink is opening soon. Here’s when and other special winter wonderland dates to keep in mind

And other downtown winter wonderland activations to look forward to.

Santa Claus at work at the skating rink at Skyline Park, Dec. 10, 2017.

Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

Isaac Vargas

Nov. 17, 2023, 2:38 p.m.

The weirdly warm weather we’ve had the past few days doesn’t totally scream “winter,” but with Mariah Carey heading to town we can safely say that the holiday season is underway.

Turkey dinners will come and go and, before we know it, the Christmas lights will be shining the way to year’s end.

And with this time of the year comes a Denver tradition: ice skating downtown. The Downtown Denver Partnership is gearing up to open the free Downtown Denver Ice Rink at Skyline Park on Monday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m.

This will be part of the city’s winter wonderland activation of downtown.

Others include the annual lighting ceremony of The Mile High Tree and the opening of German-style holiday market, the Denver Christkindlmarket on Friday, Nov. 17.

Next Friday, Nov. 24 is the Grand Illumination of Denver’s Union Station and on Dec. 2 will be the 9NEWS Parade of Lights starting at 6 p.m.

Admission to the rink is free. Attendees are welcome to bring their own skates or rent a pair on-site.

Adult skate rentals are $11, kids 12 and under are $9 and 4th grader skate rentals are free. Military and first responders can get skate rentals for $7 and if you have a My Denver Card you can get rentals for $5.

Hours of operation will run on three separate schedules. Here they are broken down:

Nov. 21-Dec. 24

11-7 p.m. (Monday to Thursday), 10-10 p.m. (Friday to Saturday), 10-6 p.m. (Sunday).

Dec. 25-Jan. 9

10-10 p.m. (Monday to Saturday), 11-6 p.m. (Sunday).

Jan. 9-Feb. 11

12-5 p.m. (Monday to Thursday), 10-10 p.m. (Friday to Saturday), 11-6 p.m. (Sunday)

Thanksgiving Day

11-6 p.m.

Christmas Eve

10-6 p.m.

Christmas Day

11-6 p.m.

New Year’s Eve

10-11 p.m.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

1 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Super Bowl Sunday

11-3 p.m.

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