Wicker ICE expected to be in full operation starting Friday

Young skaters playing a game on MLK Day

Sometimes holding on is the best!

From the littlest to biggest of skaters, there is no end of glee on Wicker ICE, the 60 by 120 foot ice rink in the middle of Wicker Park, 1425 N. Damen. 

Wacky Mother Nature seems to be giving skating advocates a chance to glide around and around starting on Friday, Feb. 1, with an "Open Skate." Skaters of all ages may be on the ice from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 

Hockey enthusiasts will have their chance from 6:30 to 8 p.m. when "Stick & Puck" time is scheduled. Details may be checked on the Wicker ICE Facebook page. 

Classes, ice skaters and hockey players will be rotating times on Saturday and Sunday starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday, providing the temperatures do not raise too high.

Families and individuals flocked to the rink on MLK Day

With five to seven days of consecutive below freezing temperatures needed to have ice good for skating, skaters were not able to use the rink this season until Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 21. 

Bitterly cold temperatures did not deter the faithful from the ice on the 21st, but they seemed happy to enjoy the Cocoa Fest contest inside the Field House. 

Eckhart Park cocoa topped the other cocoa contestants

Many different chocolate flavors from vegan to luscious milky challenged the voters. Wicker Park's Supervisor, Claribel Rodriguez said that when all votes were tallied, the winners were: Traditional Cocoa: 1st Place--Eckhart Park, 2nd Place--Greenfields Academy and 3rd--Place Stan’s Donuts. Eckhart Park had no competition in the vegan category, so they won by default!

Nick Gecan and Denise Browning were selling the Wicker ICE items

While the cocoa tasting was going on, Wicker ICE hats and other items were on sale in side the Field House. These items are also fundraising items which help support the rink, along with the ad sponsors whose messages line the inside of the rink.

Chicago Park District staff and advisory council members from Wicker Park were joined by those from Smith Park and Eckhart Park too.

David Ramos, Smith Park, Advisory Council President, Aimee Prass and Wicker Park's Doug Wood and Nick Gecan