TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Winter Village is back in Downtown Tampa next week with an ice skating rink and daily themed activities for the entire family.
Starting Nov. 17, families can celebrate the holidays with fresh experiences every day of the week, with new daily theme days. Admission to the village is free but ice skating and the Winter Village Express require online ticket purchases.
- Sensory Skate Mondays– First hour of skating is open for guests with special sensory needs and their families
- Theme Skate Night Tuesdays– Dress to match the new theme each week (themes below)
- Street Curling Wednesdays– An ice-free version of the Winter Olympic favorite (each week Wednesday through Sunday)
- Thunderstruck Thursdays– Celebrate the Tampa Bay Lightning with Bolts-themed food, drinks, and experiences
- Silent Disco Fridays– From 7-9 p.m., throw on a headset and celebrate to music for every mood, from dance favorites to holiday hits
- Shop Small Saturdays enhanced activations– Celebrate and support local, small businesses
- TGH Children’s Hospital Sunday Skate– Channel you’re an inner child with skating to family-friendly tunes on the ice!
Winter Village will include activities like ice skating on a 5,000 square-foot rink which will be open Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 11 p.m. During school break, the rink will be open every day from noon to 11 p.m.
Along with skating, guests will enjoy 40 small businesses fill19 shops, a café with festive food and beverages, and street curling. Shopping and dining will be open Thursdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. On the weekends, and every day during school break, the shops will be open from noon to 10 p.m.
The village will host a 10-minute, 360-degree light show powered by TECO each night at 7, 8, 9, and 10 p.m.
Guests can enjoy the movie, “Elf” at the holiday movie night held on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m.
And if you’re stopping by to meet Santa Claus and get a few photos with him and Mrs. Claus, guests can meet them on Dec. 1, 8, and 15 around the village.
If you love the Polar Express, get ready for the Winter Village Express! This 50-minute streetcar sing-along ride is filled with holiday music, trivia, and surprises for only $10. Five trips are every Sunday from Nov. 19 through Dec. 17.
Here are the weekly Tuesday night skate themes:
- Nov. 21: “Do you know the Gingerbread man?”- Wear your best holiday look for National Gingerbread Cookie Day and enjoy a limited-ticketed gingerbread house activity
- Nov. 28: “The One with the Holiday Armadillo” inspired by the TV show, “Friends”
- Dec.5: “Let’s Glow Skating”- Neon night on the ice
- Dec. 12: “Tacky Threads”- Time to wear that ugly sweater!
- Dec. 19: “When Lightning Strikes”- Put on your Bolts gear to support the Tampa Bay Lightning
- Dec. 26: “The Spirit of Holiday Past, Present, & Future”- It’s decades night! Pick your favorite decade and party like it’s 1999 (or whatever year you’d like
On Thanksgiving, the skating rink will be open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and on Christmas it will be open from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Shops and dining are closed both days.
On Christmas Eve, the rink will be open from noon to 8 p.m., and shops will be open from noon to 4 p.m.
On both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Winter Village will be open from noon to 11 p.m.
For additional information, visit wintervillagetampa.com.
