Nothing is more quintessential in winter than gliding on an outdoor ice rink. Evergy Plaza made winter wonderland dreams possible with the opening of the CoreFirst Ice Rink at its 6th Street and Kansas Avenue location. According to events manager Dylan Tyler, this adds another fun experience to the downtown area and the community at large.
“It’s not just about bringing activity to Downtown,” he adds. “It’s about the community aspect of this space. Of having everyone come together at one spot. We see a lot of families and couples that come to skate during the week. Then Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are just all out. We’re at full secessions, and we love it.”
Ideally, the outdoor temperature will never be a detriment to skating. The only issue so far was a windy, 70-degree day in early December. The high winds circulated the little bit of melted water on the ice, causing it to melt even more. Typically, skating can take place no matter the temperature.
January is a busy time for the rink. Mondays feature pick-up Pond Hockey games from 6 to 9 p.m. for $20. Thursdays are Student ID night with skating for $10, and Sundays are Teacher ID days for $10 skating.
Special event nights this month include 80s Night on January 6th , Bring Your Dad to Skate night on January 7th , Couples Night on January 13th, and Pink Out the Plaza with Jazzercise doing a workout to support breast cancer awareness on January 14th . The last skating night for the season is January 29th .
You can purchase tickets for each skating secession at the rink, but it’s best to buy them online to secure your spot since space is limited. The cost is $14 for adults and $12 for children, including skates, for a 90-minute skate session. Children under four skate free. You will get a $4 discount if you bring skates, and the rental of a skate aid is $5.
All participants must sign a waiver before being allowed on the ice. Minors must be accompanied onsite by an adult. Two skate monitors are on the ice during the weekends to ensure everyone is safe and having fun. Outside the rink is a 16-foot fire pit for warmth, and a food truck is onsite for hot chocolate and snack sales.
“What a lot of parents do is they send the kids in onto the ice, and then they are all huddled up out here by the fire,” Tyler says with a smile.
He adds, “When you come, it’s just a fun atmosphere. You have the ice-skating rink, the hot chocolate, the loud music, and your family and friends having a good time. You have all the amenities that make you feel like you’re in a warm bubble.”
For more information about Evergy Plaza and to purchase tickets, visit evergyplaza.com.