DiscoSkate DJ Skate Nights on Preston Street promises to be the most fun you can have on two feet – or blades – in Ottawa this winter.
DiscoSkate is a disco-themed skating party for everyone. Hosted at Plouffe Park, adjacent to the Plant Recreation Centre at the corner of Somerset and Preston Streets, DiscoSkate is a unique and memorable complement to Winterlude activities nearby at Dow’s Lake and other venues throughout the city. DiscoSkate is taking place on two evenings only, February 9 and 10 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
It’s going to be the ultimate Instagrammable winter wonderland, but the fun at the rink includes much more than just shaking your booty on the ice. It’s a dance, it’s a party, it’s free, outdoor fun for all. DiscoSkate features a DJ, disco lights, projection art, a giant tree of light, an interactive light tunnel, a photo booth, and fire poi entertainers. Haven’t skated in awhile? No worries. There’ll be a hay bale seating area for non-skaters or anyone who just wants to take a breather and enjoy the view.
DiscoSkate is an all-ages event and is especially family-friendly. The Plouffe Park Recreation Association offers a limited number of free skates for children and youth. Families are encouraged to come earlier in the evening.
“After the success of our first outdoor nighttime event late last year, we knew we wanted to offer another opportunity for people to gather together for a fresh air experience,” says Lori Mellor, Executive Director of the Preston Street BIA. “We welcomed thousands of visitors to Night Lights in November and thought that February will be the perfect time to create a new outdoor event.”
Being scheduled during Winterlude, the DiscoSkate disco rink represents a fun outing for locals and tourists alike. This event was conceived, designed and produced by Dems & Doll, the local artists who created Night Lights and many other works in the Ottawa area.
Admission is free, but voluntary donations of new, warm socks are encouraged, to support the Socks for the Homeless project that will deliver all donated socks to the Ottawa Mission.
Visitors are encouraged to dress in disco gear, with layers underneath that are appropriate for the weather at this outdoor event. Accessorize in any way you choose, be it with glow sticks, disco-themed jewellery or glow in the dark accents. How about fuzzy dice and jingle bells in your skate laces? Social media users are encouraged to share the fun with their friends online using #DiscoSkateNight.
“For the last few years, we’ve been encouraging people to “meet me on Preston Street” and with this event, we feel we are providing another great reason to do so. Little Italy is central to so many great outdoor venues, from skating on the canal or municipal rinks, to cross-country skiing along the Trillium pathway, to snowshoeing and winter cycling. We are working to raise awareness of the “and a…” part of the Preston Street experience. Dinner and a comedy show. Hot cocoa, Italian pastry and a skate. Snowshoeing and an espresso and biscotti. A day hike and a delicious lunch. Dinner and a night at the DiscoSkate rink.”
Visit prestonstreet.com for more information about this exciting, interactive, fresh-air experience.