Two friends help each other skate on the wet ice
Winterfest Hartford
Bushnell Park
Hartford
December 18, 2024
Winterfest is the free ice rink located in Bushnell Park, right next to the Pump House Gallery. In its 14th year, Winterfest begins the day after Thanksgiving and runs through the first week of January. Almost 40,000 people come out to skate in the six weeks the rink is open.
The slightly warmer-than-average day had transitioned into a drizzly evening by the time I made it to the rink, but I knew people would be out skating regardless. Winterfest has been an unmitigated success since its inception, and the small but dedicated crowd skating in the rain represented newcomers holding onto each other for dear life, and veterans zipping along the ice and hydroplaning across the puddles that were forming.
A couple of speed demons
It’s been years since I’d been myself. I was there the very first year it opened with my son. He took to it like a fish in water, of course, although at 3 years old he was more walking on ice than skating. Still it was better than I feared; by the time we left I had enough bumps and bruises for both of us. We went every day that first season.
Unfortunately, for the safety of everyone, Winterfest closed early due to the rain. The rink is usually open 11:00 AM‑8:00 PM, but it closed an hour early Wednesday evening.
I bumped into a group that was leaving the ice rink due to the weather. They’d traveled from East Hartford despite the rain because of how much they enjoy skating.
Jomarys, 17, told me that she’s been to the skating rink “mad” times, even on field trips with her school. She’s been visiting the rink since she moved with her family to the area from Puerto Rico a decade ago.
“I like the rink because you get to try new things,” she said. “I didn’t know how to ice skate when I got here, but I really wanted to try.”
For Yali, 15, this was her first year skating. Despite her relatively new status, she confidently rated herself as a 7.5 out 10 skater. What brought her out to try for the first time, I asked her.
“Ice skating looked like alot of fun on TikTok,” she said.
John Michael was the quiet pro. He’d been skating as long as his sister, Jomarys, and he said that he already knew the basics. When I asked who was the fastest, he raised his hand.
“I like this place because it’s the closest rink we have to our house. It’s close for our friends to meet up and hang out,” he said.
“And it’s free!” Jomarys chimed in.
In the background, Jomarys and John Michael’s mother Damaris looked on. She doesn’t skate herself, but she said that she enjoys coming out to watch the kids. “They will definitely be back tomorrow after school,” she said. “And they’re going to be here all winter break.”
Every year, Winterfest and its supporters raise money to put the rink back on, and they’ve already started fundraising for next season. It’s a great event that the entire region enjoys, so donate if you can, and bring your family down for an awesome day of fun.
NEXT
Winterfest continues daily through January 6. It will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day
Jamil heads into Black Eyed Sally’s to warm up with some hot jazz.