Wollman Rink to celebrate 75th anniversary with year-long festivities

Credit: Pawan Thapa on Unsplash
Central Park’s iconic Wollman Rink is kicking off a year-long celebration in honor of its 75th birthday. Festivities begin on Saturday, January 25 with a “nostalgia-laced” party, featuring discount skating admission, an immersive photographic journey through the rink’s history, and classic treats inspired by the past seven decades of winter fun.
Ice skating has been a cherished tradition in Central Park since long before Wollman Rink came into existence. When architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux designed the park, they envisioned The Lake as a “skating pond,” which welcomed ice skaters even before the park’s completion in the 1870s, quickly becoming a favorite winter pastime for New Yorkers.
“When Wollman Rink opened in 1950, it was a pivotal moment for outdoor recreation in New York City,” Bret Pidgeon, general manager of Wollman Rink, said.
“The opening of Wollman Rink provided skaters with a safe and accessible space to create lasting memories on the ice, which is a legacy that has been present over the last 75 years and one we hope to continue for years to come.”
The rink’s cafĂ©, located in the Clubhouse, will offer retro-inspired candy, taking skaters on a nostalgic journey through seven decades of skating history. Complementary hot chocolate will also be available, offering skaters a perfect post (or pre) skating beverage.
The Skating Club of New York and Ice Theatre of New York will perform special routines at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., recreating the celebration held by members of these groups on the rink’s opening day in 1950.
On January 25, admission will be discounted to $19.50 for adults (down from the usual $27) and $10 for children and seniors, with skate rentals available for $12.
Wollman Rink will unveil a lineup of themed events and programming throughout the year. You can stay up to date on future events here.
The ice rink is open from October through March. Following that, the rink will turn into CityPickle, the 14-court pickleball installation.
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Some of the best times of my life was spent at Wollman’s Rink in Central Park with my dad and my brother in the mid to late 70s. Looking at some of pictures of the rink before it was refurbished brings back those feelings of excitement to get on the ice.