Ice skating is returning to an Omaha rink earlier than ever before this year.
Winterland, the outdoor ice-skating rink at Heartwood Preserve, will open for its third season on Halloween, its earliest opening date yet. Ice skating sessions are free to the public and include complimentary ice skates.
Winterland’s opening day will run from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, and feature a screening of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” at 8 p.m.
A press release stated that ice skating will be available each Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 22, when the rink transitions to a daily schedule.
Skating sessions run 90 minutes and accommodate up to 120 skaters per session. Guests can view the skating schedule online and reserve a free session up to two weeks in advance of their visit. A limited number of walk-up spots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
To bring the ice to Omaha, Applied Underwriters partners with Ice-America, which uses a 200-ton chiller to keep the rink in top shape all season long. Building the rink takes three to five days, followed by another two to three days to fill it with more than 8,000 gallons of water, the release said.
Heartland Park is planning several holiday festivities, including Movies on Ice, Midwest Fest Holiday Markets, visits with Santa and a Chanukah Skate.
Each Saturday evening in November, guests can skate around a giant outdoor movie screen or watch from the sidelines. The movie schedule is “Toy Story 5” on Nov. 7, “The Polar Express” on Nov. 14, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” on Nov. 21 and “Dr. Suess’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas” on Nov. 28.
Winterland is located within Heartwood Park at 301 S. 145th St.
In December, Winterland will be adorned in holiday decor with free activities throughout the month.
Midwest Fest returns to Heartwood Park for its Holiday Market during the first three weekends in December. Each Saturday and Sunday guests can shop for local goods at the market and take photos with Santa from noon to 4 p.m. A Sensory Santa photo experience will be available from 8-10 a.m. on Dec. 5 and 19, and pet photos with Santa Paws will be available Dec. 13. Families interested in a Sensory Santa experience should email info@heartwoodomaha.com to request a reservation.
Heartwood Preserve and Chabad of Nebraska will host a special Chanukah Skate on Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 4-9:30 p.m., featuring free skating for all, kosher treats and the live sculpting and lighting of an ice menorah.