New Rochelle celebrates season with Winter Carnival, ice rink at Lincoln Park

Ashley Catherine Fontones, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
·2 min read

The City of New Rochelle warmed hearts on Wednesday during a one-day Winter Carnival.

The event, brought to life by the New Rochelle Community Justice Center, celebrated everything winter and centered around a new pop-up ice rink, open since Saturday. Attendees joined in on carnival games, perused a market of local vendors and other activities.

The Community Justice Center was "honored" to partner up with the city on the carnival project.

Amanda Nathan, Project Director for the New Rochelle Community Justice Center, speaks at the Winter Carnival kick-off event for the outdoor skating rink in Lincoln Park in New Rochelle Feb. 21 2024. The event was organized by the city council, the City of New Rochelle and the New Rochelle Community Justice Center. The rink is free to use and is open from noon to 7 p.m. daily until Saturday, Feb. 24.

“We are excited for our youth participants to contribute by creating space for community members to come together and enjoy some winter fun." Amanda Nathan, Project Director for the New Rochelle Community Justice Center said ahead of the event in a post on the New Rochelle website.

Nathan said she was grateful to the city and council member David Peters for "valuing projects that support a strong, connected, and vibrant community for all."

According to Councilman Peters, the idea for the ice rink came after the park's basketball courts had "iced up a little bit."

"All of a sudden, in that moment we saw kids starting to skate on their own in their sneakers... and it dawned on us," Peters recalled while addressing carnival attendees. "We said 'wow', the genius of our kids is on display, and it would be great if someday we could turn this into an ice skating rink.

"Well today that day has come."

Six-year-old Nazhyre Browning, center, of New Rochelle, with his mother Saundra Browning behind him, skates during the Winter Carnival kick-off event for the outdoor skating rink in Lincoln Park in New Rochelle Feb. 21 2024. The event was organized by the city council, the City of New Rochelle and the New Rochelle Community Justice Center. The rink is free to use and is open from noon to 7 p.m. daily until Saturday, Feb. 24.

If you missed the fun, don't worry, you can still enjoy the ice rink, which stays open through local schools' mid-winter break until Feb. 24.

Guests can skate for free, with rentals provided at no charge. You'll want to get there early: each day the rink is open, the first 100 visitors will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate. Visitors can also shop local vendors (three small businesses will be featured each day the rink is open).

You can catch a ride to the rink by taking CircuitNR, the city's free electric shuttle service, which will provide rides to the rink within the designated service area. Free on-street parking is also available around the park.

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If you go

What: Lincoln Park Pop-Up Ice Skating Rink

Hours: Noon to 7 p.m. daily until Saturday, Feb. 24, weather permitting.

Where: Lincoln Park, Lincoln Avenue and Prince Street, New Rochelle

Go to newrochelleny.com/skating to learn more and for real-time ice rink updates.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rochelle hosts Winter Carnival, ice skating rink at Lincoln Park