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THE SAFEWAY HOLIDAY ICE RINK RETURNS TO SAN FRANCISCO’S UNION SQUARE FOR ITS 15TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

September 13, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Julie Richter, Prismatic Communications
480.818.8022 | moc.snoitacinummoccitamsirp@eiluj

The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink will host favorite on-ice traditions including Drag Queens On Ice and Polar Bear Skate, plus some brand-new events for the 2022 season

Opening Celebration to take place Wednesday, November 2 at 5 P.M.

SAN FRANCISCO (September 13, 2022)—Today, Willy Bietak Productions announced the return of  The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square, open to the public daily from November 2, 2022 through January 16, 2023. Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the Safeway Holiday Ice Rink is set in the unforgettable, picturesque location of San Francisco’s bustling Union Square and has become one of the Bay Area’s favorite annual holiday traditions. The season of outdoor skating and special on-ice events kicks off with an Opening Celebration on Wednesday, November 2 at 5 p.m. The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink’s roster of events includes the return of the highly anticipated Drag Queens On Ice, Flashback Fridays, and Polar Bear Skate, plus some brand-new events for the 2022 season. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, September 23, 2022 at www.unionsquareicerink.com.

Since 2008, The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square has delighted children and adults with its holiday-themed ice park in San Francisco’s Union Square. From families to friends, and couples to colleagues, everyone can enjoy ice skating in San Francisco’s iconic plaza surrounded by festive lights and the sights and sounds of the season. Novices and naturals alike will love the outdoor ice skating experience in the middle of beautiful San Francisco.

The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink hours are 10 a.m.–11 p.m. daily through January 16, 2023, with the exception of closing at 9:30 p.m. on December 31, 2022. Tickets for The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink are $20 for adults and $15 for children 8 and under, with skate rental included in the cost of admission. All tickets must be purchased in advance by visiting unionsquareicerink.com. A portion of ticket proceeds benefit the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.

OPENING CELEBRATION
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 | 5–7 p.m.

The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square will open with a festive evening ceremony to kick off the holiday ice skating season. To celebrate the rink’s 15th anniversary, guests will be able to access special $15 tickets all day on Wednesday, November 2. Opening day will culminate with the largest celebration to date, complete with special on-ice performances and an appearance by stars from Disney’s Frozen the Musical. Additional special guests will include local dignitaries and celebrities, who will be invited to take to the ice alongside guests of all ages for the first official skate of the season.

LEARN TO SKATE PRESENTED BY KAISER PERMANENTE
Select Saturdays & Sundays | 8–9 a.m.

Kaiser Permanente invites skaters with little to no experience to The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square to learn from professional skate instructors every weekend. Lessons are free (including skate rental) to those who sign up in advance. Space is limited to 50 participants per day. All registered skaters must check-in no later than 7:30 am or spots will be released to another guest.

LET IT GO WEDNESDAYS PRESENTED BY DISNEY’S FROZEN THE MUSICAL
Wednesdays | 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. sessions

Guests of all ages can visit Arendelle at The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square for Let It Go Wednesdays, presented by Disney’s FROZEN, playing at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre November 18 – December 30, 2022. Skate to songs from the FROZEN Broadway Original Cast Recording, which features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar® Award-winning film plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers. Participants are encouraged to arrive early and in costume for the chance to receive free FROZEN giveaways.

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS PRESENTED BY 80s+
November 11, December 9 & January 13 | 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. sessions

The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square celebrates more than a decade of outdoor ice skating by throwing it back to the musical hits of everyone’s favorite decade—the ‘80s—at “Flashback Fridays.” On the second Friday of each month, these special sessions feature 80s+@103.7 personalities on-hand spinning hits by Duran Duran, Pat Benatar, Madonna, Lionel Richie, and more! Skaters are encouraged to don their favorite legwarmers and unitard, and come party at this totally tubular event!

DRAG QUEENS ON ICE
Thursday, December 1, 2022 | 7–9:30 p.m.

The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square is never more fabulous than during one of the City’s most popular events of the holiday season—Drag Queens on Ice. Watch some of San Francisco’s fiercest Bay Area drag queens lip-sync and skate the night away.

SILENT SKATE PARTY
Thursday, December 8, 2022 | 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. sessions

The popular Silent Skate Party returns to The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square for one night only! A silent disco on ice, Silent Skate Party transports guests from the bustling Union Square to a skate dance party like no other. Headphones will be provided to all skaters, who can choose one of three stations to listen to as they skate.

POLAR BEAR SKATE
Sunday, January 1, 2023 | 2:30–3:30 p.m.

The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square welcomes skaters of all ages to the return of San Francisco’s take on the popular Canadian tradition. In this version, ice skaters are encouraged to put on their bathing suit, grab their shades and “take the plunge” in the ice rink for this New Year’s Day Union Square tradition. All skaters are invited to ring in the New Year in their chicest, wildest, and most inventive beach attire in hopes of walking away with prizes, awarded on theme, originality, and overall appearance.

Sponsors of The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square are Safeway, Hilton San Francisco Union Square, Parc 55 San Francisco, San Francisco Marriott Union Square, Galleria Park Hotel, Hotel Emblem, Grand Hyatt San Francisco, Disney’s FROZEN The Hit Broadway Musical, John’s Grill, King George Hotel, NBC Bay Area, KTSF26, BART, SFMTA, STAR 101.3, 98.1 The Breeze, 106.1 KMEL, 80s+, WiLD 94.9, PRIDE Radio and Telemundo 48.

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About Willy Bietak Productions
Los Angeles-based Willy Bietak Productions is a full-service production company specializing in the development and production of high-quality family entertainment. With a staff of award-winning designers, directors, choreographers and musical arrangers – backed by a talented production and management team – Willy Bietak Productions conceives, packages and tours international entertainment spectaculars as well as special events. For more information, please visit bietakproductions.com.

About the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department currently manages more than 220 parks, playgrounds and open spaces throughout San Francisco, including two outside city limits—Sharp Park in Pacifica and Camp Mather in the High Sierras. The system includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, golf courses, sports fields and numerous small-to-medium-sized clubhouses that offer a variety of sports and arts-related recreation programs for people of all ages. Included in the Department’s responsibilities are Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, the Marina Yacht Harbor, the San Francisco Zoo and Lake Merced. In 2017, San Francisco became the first and only city in the nation where all residents have access to a park within a 10-minute walk, a direct result of the Department’s commitment to increasing and improving parkland in the city.

Keep up with the latest – and coolest – news straight from Union Square, San Francisco’s most magical and festive ice skating destination.

For press inquiries, please contact:

Julie Richter
Prismatic Communications

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