Downtown Royal Oak getting outdoor ice-skating rink this weekend

An extra dose of wintertime fun will come to Royal Oak this weekend when a new, outdoor ice rink opens.

The Rink at Royal Oak, located in the middle of Centennial Commons in the city's downtown, will accommodate up to 250 skaters at a time on the 60-by-90 surface opening to the public Saturday.

An 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony will feature performances from Royal Oak’s New Edge Skating Club and Bloomfield Hills’ Detroit Skating Club. Opening weekend will include live music acts, opportunities for free skating as well as rentals, warming stations, free hot chocolate and free marshmallow roasting kits.

The rink is funded by local firm M3 Investment Services.

“When approached about the opportunity to support the new rink in Centennial Commons, we jumped at the chance," said M3 CEO Mike Pesendorfer. "It’s the perfect family-friendly winter spot to come together, as well as a special attraction that will encourage people to support our downtown retailers and restaurant, too, while also adding to the seasonal ambiance of downtown Royal Oak and building holiday and winter memories that will last for years.”

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Admission is $10, with skate rentals at $5.

Tickets and skate rentals may be purchased onsite on a first-come, first-served basis. The Rink will operate daily through Feb. 19, 2023.

Information on hours, special events and more are available at therinkatroyaloak.com.