There’s a new ice skating option for the holidays in Lexington, and this one’s indoors

Janet Patton
·4 min read
A Julietta Market sign overlooked the vendors inside Greyline Station. The market left at the end of October.

Julietta Market, one of the signature tenants of Greyline Station, will leave the venue at the end of October.

In July, market manager Adina Tatum said that Julietta planned to leave when the lease ended in October and would be looking for a new home. Tatum said Oct. 27 that the market is working out details for a new location but the Market Kitchen, a commercial kitchen on site, has signed a three-year lease to stay at Greyline.

But a new attraction is going into the center of the North Lexington venue, just for the holidays.

Winter Fest 2023 is coming: Greyline will be putting down an indoor skating rink of artificial ice, opening on Nov. 25.

The temporary rink joins two other Lexington ice skating rinks: the Lexington Ice Center & Sports Complex, which is indoor and open year round, and The Rink at Triangle Park which is outdoor and will be open Nov. 3-Jan. 15, 2024.

Greyline ice skating rink opening, hours and skate rental cost

The kickoff, timed for Small Business Saturday the weekend after Thanksgiving, will also feature free photos with Black Santa from 1-3 p.m., according to Kathryn Burzynski, marketing and events director for Greyline Station.

The rink, along with skate rentals, will be in place through the end of the year, she said. It will take of up about half of the space inside the former city bus garage turned food hall at the corner of North Limestone and Loudon Avenue.

The ice rink will be open 4-9 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. It will be closed on Monday.

The price for skate rental for three hours on the rink will be $10 for adults, $8 for kids 13 and under. On Tuesday, get $2 off skates with a receipt from any Greyline business. On Wednesday, get $2 off with a high school ID. And on Thursday get $2 off with a college ID.

The rest of the space will have room for pop-up booths on Sundays, she said.

Greyline also plans to host a Block Party on Dec. 1, Winter Beer Fest on Dec. 2 in collaboration with Kentucky Brewers Guild, Crafted Social’s Winter Market Dec. 8-9 and a live music event on Dec. 16.

There also will be new vendors, including one called Oh My Cookie Co. that will serve hot chocolate.

What will happen to Greyline space when ice rink leaves?

Another Greyline tenant has left: Rise Up Pizza closed in October. Owner Matty Evans is taking over the kitchen space at Horse and Jockey Pub downtown on Short Street and hopes to open in November with a new menu featuring Detroit-style pizza.

Some vendors are graduating from Julietta Market’s stalls into Greyline storefronts: Dre’s Barbershop, Rayann’s Popcorn and Papa Pretzel will be moving into larger spaces around the perimeter, according to developer Chad Needham. Papa Pretzel will be absorbed into a new concept, The Wandering Bock, which will serve the popular handmade sourdough pretzels with German beer and show soccer matches.

Needham said the interior space will be revamped for a new food hall next year. Tenants are expected to be announced sometime in 2024.

Tatum said the Market Kitchen has become a valuable resource for culinary entrepreneurs and will continue to have a positive impact on incubating businesses.

“By offering hourly rentals, affordable monthly rentals, and storage options for the community, we have created a valuable resource. Additionally, our future plans to offer programming for healthy cooking classes further demonstrate our dedication to promoting wellness and education,” Tatum said.

She also said it’s important not to overlook the achievements of the Julietta Market graduates: “Without the opportunities presented by Julietta Market, these businesses would not have had the chance to be a part of Greyline Station in the first place,” Tatum said. “It is important not to overlook the hard work and accomplishments that have been achieved. This success not only positively impacts the businesses involved but also our nonprofit organization. Our mission has always been centered around supporting businesses in their journey from startup to establishing a physical presence.”