Creative Ice Skating Event Ideas to Draw in the Community

Over the past 18 years, I’ve seen arenas develop and evolve into more than just a rink for hockey practice. Many ice arenas have added special events to their programming, inviting people who might otherwise not visit the ice arena.For example, Community First Igloo in Jacksonville, FL, held an All Abilities Day to provide a fun, interactive experience for families of all abilities. We are proud to have them as a Skate Helper customer, and it was wonderful to see the Skate Helpers in action during the event.With every holiday, an arena can organize fun and festive events. These events introduce potentially new customers to the arena and to ice skating. Skate Helper is a great aid for adults who are new to skating or for kids who are still developing their balance.Arenas can collaborate with local event organizers to add exciting features like:

Food trucks
Local musicians
Face painters
Craft tables

Families are always looking for cost-effective, healthy, and fun events—and ice skating checks all these boxes.

Skating Event Ideas:

Holiday Skates: Decorate the rink with lights, music, and festive decorations.
Music-themed nights: Host 90’s night, 80’s night, 70’s rock, etc., and hire a DJ.
Thanksgiving Family Skate: Offer discounted sessions to honor first responders.
Ugly Holiday Sweater Skate
Halloween Costume Skate
Senior-Only Skate: Serve coffee and donuts afterwards.
Teen-Only Skate: Serve hotdogs, popcorn, and other teen-friendly snacks.
Ladies Night: Invite local artisans or businesses to set up a small market.
Games and Skate: Set up game areas on the ice for added fun.

The ice arena is a community gathering place, and with creative programming, you can host events for all ages and abilities. These activities help bring people together and promote a healthy, active lifestyle through ice skating.