Holly Jolly Holidays 2024
The 5th annual Holly Jolly Holidays is making its return to Oxford this winter, capturing the spirit of the season with festive experiences that include visits with Santa, ice skating and a newly launched Walk of Lights. mTrade Park will be the new venue! To kick off the festivities, Visit Oxford is bringing the updated ice-skating rink back for an extended time from November 23, 2024, through January 5, 2025.
So, how does Oxford get this REAL ice-skating rink each year? We recently spoke with Greg Pinion, Superintendent for Building & Grounds with the City of Oxford, to find out how it’s done. Greg shared, “It takes A LOT of water, a huge chiller, a chemical called glycol, webs of pex piping and a water sprayer. We run glycol through the pex pipes where there is going to be ice. We then crank up the chiller to get the glycol down to temperature. Then we manually, with a water sprayer, spray the coils for several hours to get 1 inch of ice. We like to have the skating rink with at least 2 inches of ice above the piping. Once the rink is made, we go every morning to resurface and check and add ice where it’s needed.”
This year the rink will have a new location, mTrade Park. Skating hours will be Wednesday through Friday 4 PM - 9 PM, Saturday 11 AM - 9 PM and Sunday 4 PM - 9 PM, although the hours are subject to change based on weather and private rentals. The rink will be closed November 28 for Thanksgiving and December 24 and 25 for Christmas. Skating will cost $15 per person and includes unlimited skating time and ice skate rentals. Skate aids will be available to rent to help skaters navigate around the rink. No advance ticket purchases or reservations are needed.
New this year to Holly Jolly Holidays, the Walk of Lights will lead visitors through a dazzling spectacle, soaking in the holiday spirit as they stroll along paths illuminated with the glow of countless lights, creating a memorable experience for all ages. The Peppermint Trail is back and will lead guests to all the special holiday treats and promotions. Guests are encouraged to follow the trail of peppermints on the sidewalks all around Oxford to explore a variety of peppermint treats. From coffee to cocktails, sweets, and more – experience the peppermint craze along the red-and-white candied trail. Stay tuned for holiday surprises from local Oxford favorites, including various gifts and special treats. A list of participating locations is available on the website.
“The holidays in Oxford have always been a magical time. Holly Jolly Holidays offers a unique experience to our locals and gives visitors an additional reason to come see Oxford during this festive time of year, especially with our new Peppermint Trail! We are excited to have the skating rink back again to offer everyone the best of the holiday season,” said Kinney Ferris, Executive Director of Visit Oxford. A huge THANK YOU to the Team at Visit Oxford and the MANY workers from the City of Oxford (Building & Grounds, Oxford Utilities, Oxford Police Department, & mTrade Park) for creating these wonderful holiday experiences for us each year!
