How to Plan an Ice Skating Event

Written By: Riedell | January 5, 2023

National Skating Month is here. Every January across the United States, organizations get together for various reasons to ice skate with family and friends. Some are supporting a charity or promoting community togetherness, others are simply looking to enjoy the activity with loved ones. Great organizations like U.S. Figure Skating encourage skaters and connoisseurs to make it official and host an event in their local community with helpful kits.

But what should you do when it comes to the finer details? This blog post will cover a step-by-step process for hosting your own ice-skating event.

6 Steps to Planning an Ice-Skating Event

If you are interested in hosting an event to celebrate and enjoy ice skating in the United States, here are some steps you could follow:

  1. Determine the purpose and goals of your event. Do you want to promote ice skating as a recreational activity, celebrate the accomplishments of U.S. ice skaters, or raise funds for a particular cause? A purpose-driven event can boost the attendee numbers, bringing in skaters and non-skaters alike.  
  2. Choose a date and location for your event. Consider factors such as the availability of ice-skating facilities, the weather, and the availability of other resources and support. Date and location are among the first details you’ll want to get down, and they may seem simple enough, but these details can really make or break your event. Some locations get rented out a year in advance so this step may require more finesse than you’d expect.
  3. Figure out logistics. This may include deciding on the type of event if you haven’t already (e.g. a competition, exhibition, or instructional clinic). From there, you’ll want to determine the format and schedule, recruit volunteers or staff to help with the event, and seek funding for promotional and practical needs. Also, don’t forget transportation and catering plans if you’re going all out!
  4. Promote your event. Promoting your event may involve creating marketing materials such as flyers or social media posts, reaching out to local media outlets, and inviting ice skaters and other members of the community to attend. Sponsors can be a big help in this phase of the planning.  
  5. Prepare to host the event. Once logistics and promotion are out of the way, then the real grind begins. You’ll need to have a plan for setup and tear-down, as well as ensure that the event runs smoothly and is enjoyable for all attendees. If you have a passionate staff, this is where they’ll thrive.
  6. Have fun. Planning and executing a skating event can be a lot of hard work. Once the day finally arrives, try to keep a simple schedule (as best as you can) so you can enjoy yourself and get out on the ice.

It may be helpful to utilize local ice-skating organizations or clubs, as well as relevant national organizations such as U.S. Figure Skating or educators like Learn to Skate U.S.A., to help plan and promote your event.

Looking to Attend an Ice Skating Event?

You don’t need to plan your own event to get on the ice. National Skating Month is full of skating events every year and dozens of wonderful organizations put them on. These events are often family-friendly, purposeful, and a great way to connect with local skaters.

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Ice and roller skate Hall of Famer, Paul Riedell, started our company in 1945. Since then, we’ve maintained our family-oriented business while manufacturing quality ice skate boots and blades for skaters at every level of experience. See our menu above to browse the catalog or view which of your local dealers carry Riedell skates.