Every holiday season, Sharks Ice at Fremont lights up with the holiday spirit as the staff welcome individuals and families to explore the world of ice skating. This year is no different, with holiday sessions running from December 22 to January 5. Skaters will get to enjoy various perks such as holiday discounts, more frequent sessions and holiday-themed drinks.
By far the most exciting attraction, holiday public sessions will run all day long, from 9:30am to as late as 10:00pm on some days. This year, sessions were shortened from 120 minutes to 90 in order to make them more frequent. “We found that people were more likely to come if we had more sessions available during the day. People were sort of showing up during the middle of the session, unsure whether they should stay for the next one or join [the current] session, so having more sessions available throughout the day was a good option for people,” Sharks Ice at Fremont General Manager Casey Maguire said.
The decision would add more flexibility into skaters’ holiday schedules, encouraging more people to come to the rink. Furthermore, skaters can enjoy the holiday discounts as well: a 50% discount on their second session if they purchase two sessions in a single day and a 10% discount on all Sharks merchandise.
To get into the holiday spirit, the rink is adorned with numerous decorations. “We do Christmas lights all the way around the facility. We do holiday decor inside the rink and play Christmas music 24/7 over the loudspeaker,” Maguire said.
To satisfy skaters in between sessions or right after sessions, Stanley’s Sports Bar, located upstairs from the rink, will feature many cozy foods and beverages, some of them holiday-themed. Adding onto the appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches and pizzas offered, holiday-themed treats include hot chocolate, candy cane drinks and peppermint drinks. There could potentially be a variety of holiday desserts as well. Diners can eat while watching the ongoing skating sessions, looking out at the rink from giant windows. The bar also features a pool table and various arcade games to entertain kids, families and adults as they enjoy their food.
The Sharks Ice holiday programming has also been positively received by the local community. “We get a lot of word-of-mouth folks, people who’ve been here before. We get a lot of people within the community, kids who go to school who skate here, who tell their friends. Over the holidays, we get a lot of people who bring their families that are travelling in from out of state or out of town,” Maguire said.
There are advantages to coming as a group as well, such as discounts for groups of ten or more people. Youth and senior prices are cheaper than the regular adult prices. Even though skating could be perceived as a solo or duo sport when looking at the singles and pairs events at figure skating competitions, coming to the rink with family or a group of friends is a great socializing and bonding activity to develop the holiday spirit.
As the holiday season rolls around, albeit later than usual for certain school districts, Sharks Ice at Fremont invites with open arms all who seek to enjoy themselves on the rink. Those looking to pursue ice skating further can also take part in the Learn to Skate program at the rink that runs all year long. “We want to get as many people in here as we can and show them that this is a great place to come often, to learn how to skate. Our goal for the holiday season is to make memories for families and [ensure] that they have a great time.”
Visit Shark Ice Fremont website for more information, www.sharksiceatfremont.com
