Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Listen
Donate

The Brief

The most important stories for you to know today
  • The L.A. Report
    Listen • 11:58
    Immigration detainees & bond hearings, History of Queen Mary, Jurupa Valley fire — Saturday Edition
Jump to a story
  • Explore LA
    LA's Pop-Up Ice Rinks
    Here's where to enjoy winter vibes in L.A. weather
    By  Julia Paskin
    Published November 26, 2023 8:00 AM

    Share This
    Snow falls over an ice rink at night with lights shining on skaters.
    The Ice at Santa Monica skating rink opens this week after a two year hiatus.
    (
    Courtesy of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
    )

    Topline:

    Skating around in a winter wonderland while it's 80 degrees outside is a very L.A. way to enjoy the holiday season.

    How is icy environment maintained? “[W]e take our refrigerant which is nothing more than glycol, run that through that floor and once we get down to about 28 degrees Fahrenheit, we start misting the plates, and build our ice up,” said Robert Keith, an operations manager who works on some of L.A.'s ice skating rinks.

    Keep reading: To find a list of outdoor skating rinks in L.A.

    Skating around in a winter wonderland while it's 80 degrees outside is a very L.A. way to enjoy the holiday season.

    You may wonder where you do exactly that between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. And while you’re on the ice in a T-shirt and sunglasses with Christmas music playing overhead, you may also wonder how all of this wonderfulness is possible.

    We got answers to both.

    How outdoor ice rinks are maintained

    Willy Bietak Productions runs the rinks at both Pershing Square and Santa Monica.

    “We use a one inch aluminum panel and then we take our refrigerant which is nothing more than glycol, run that through that floor and once we get down to about 28 degrees Fahrenheit, we start misting the plates, and build our ice up,” said the company's operations manager, Robert Keith.

    The surface temperature of the ice can be adjusted for figure skaters or hockey players. 

    “With this technology, you can virtually make ice anywhere in the world you want to go," Keith said.

    Where to find pop-up outdoor skating rinks

    In the forefront, two people hold hands on the ice, one is smiling while looking down at their skates. A crowd skates in the background let with yellow holiday lights.
    Ice at Santa Monica
    (
    Courtesy of Downtown Santa Monica
    )

Loading...