Winter Is Coming: Millennium Park Ice Rink Unveils 2016 Opening Date

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 4, 2016 8:24PM

McCormick Tribune Ice Rink. Photo via the City of Chicago.

It's only just fall, but one of Chicago's greatest winter traditions is right around the corner. The Department of Cultural Affairs announced on Tuesday that the Millennium Park Ice Rink officially has an opening date for 2016: Friday, Nov. 18. Assuming weather cooperates, the rink will open at noon that day; and it stays in operation through March 5 of next year.

The grand opening of the rink (whose official full name is The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park, although Chicago tends to not go in for such formality) goes down the same day as the Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration. No word yet on if Chance the Rapper will pop in at our humble local chapter.

As always, skating will be free and open to the public. Blades are available to rent for $12.

Millennium Park Ice Rink hours of operation:
Monday to Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.
Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. (ice skating lesson at 11 a.m.)
Saturdays (Nov. 19 to Jan. 7), 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (ice skating lesson at 9 a.m.)
Saturdays (Jan. 14 to March 4), 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (ice skating lesson at 9 a.m.)
Sundays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (ice skating lesson at 9 a.m.)​

Holidays hours and information about special programming (including speed-skating and ice-dancing demos) can be found here.