The Tucson Holiday Ice rink is returning to downtown Tucson Nov. 23, bringing a rare dose of winter fun to the desert. 

The ice rink in front of the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave., is open through Jan.  4.

This is the sixth year the city, in collaboration with Rio Nuevo, has set up the seasonal attraction to give Tucsonans and visitors a chance to experience outdoor ice skating in the desert. 

“Everything should be pretty much the same as it has been the last couple of years,” said Greg Jackson, deputy director of the Tucson Parks and Recreation Department, which oversees the rink.

To keep the ice from melting, Jackson said the city uses a cooling system that circulates glycol through tubes beneath the ice, maintaining temperatures near five degrees.

The rink has become a tradition for many in Tucson. University of Arizona sophomore Dalal Abaalkhail said she had gone to the rink for the past two years and plans to go again this season.

 “It’s one of the holiday traditions I enjoy most,” said Abaalkhail, who is from Kuwait and had never ice skated before going to the Tucson Holiday Rink. “The rink brings a festive feeling to Tucson, even without real winter weather. My friends and I make it a point to go every year.”

The rink accommodates skaters ages 3 and older and while it may be in the desert, being on the ice can get pretty chilly. You might want to wear gloves and a beanie. They also rent  skate-assist seats for kids for $7.

Skating sessions, available on a first-come, first-serve basis, run 90 minutes and cost $22 for adults and $15 for children, with skate rentals included. Skates start at children’s size 8 and go  up to size 15 for adults.

The rink is open at 2 p.m. weekdays and noon weekends; it opens at 10 a.m. on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas day. 

For more information, visit tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Tucson-Holiday-Ice or call 520-791-4101, option 1.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.