HUNDREDS more ice skating tickets have been released for the Kings Parade ice rink due the overwhelming response from the community.
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The rink is the centrepiece of the Illuminate Bathurst Winter Festival, and by yesterday morning more than 5000 skating tickets had been sold.
From tomorrow, the ice rink will open from 9am each day, rather than the planned 10am start, due to its popularity. Each session is 45 minutes long and starts on the hour each day of the festival.
Seven-year-old Scout Toole (pictured) was among a select few who gave the ice rink a test-run yesterday.
She took up the option of using a penguin skating aid.
“It was fun and cool,” she said of her time on the ice.
Bathurst mayor Gary Rush said when events were being planned for the nine-day winter festival, ice skating was an obvious choice.
He said the $5 per person charge to skate made it affordable for everyone.
Cr Rush also hit the ice rink yesterday, and said he was determined to prove that all Bathurstians, no matter their skill level, could take part.
“I was a bit nervous,” the first-time skier admitted.
Cr Rush said the ice rink had captured the imagination of the community.
“The contractors providing the rink, Stars on Ice, have not seen such strong pre-event tickets sales for skating tickets, like we have had in Bathurst,” he said.
The Illuminate Bathurst Winter Festival opens today at 4pm with a street festival in Kings Parade featuring local food, wine and entertainment.
The second round of illuminations will also be shown from sundown each night of the festival, telling the story of Bathurst’s present.
Don’t miss the dress up theme days on the ice rink: July 6 – daggy jumper; July 8 – Disney on ice; July 10 – splash of yellow and July 11 – beanie and scarf.
The ice skating ticketing system is being updated to cater for the 9am skating sessions and they will be available to book from noon today.
All of today’s ice skating sessions are now fully booked, but there are tickets available on all other days of the festival. For information or to book your ice skating tickets visit Bathurst200 online.