Bright Light Skate Night

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Bundle up and head to Sir Winston Churchill Square and the City Hall Plaza on December 13, 2025, for Bright Light Skate Night.

Date: Saturday December 13
Time: 4-8pm
Location: City Hall Skating Rink

Celebrate the season and the opening of the City Hall skating rink with live music, performances and family-friendly activities.

Activities

Enjoy live music by Robyn Ashley Music. Check out the ice carving demonstrations by Activate Arts Alberta. Get your photo taken with Santa inside City Hall from 5–8pm, and create a unique LEGO™ ornament for the community tree, hosted by the Northern Alberta LEGO™ Users Group.

Warm up with a free hot chocolate from the Hallway Café, in front of a fire pit or in one of the warming geodomes. Food trucks will be on site for those wishing to purchase a hot meal or snack.

Skate the night away under the festive glow of twinkling canopy lights strung over the City Hall Ice rink (weather and ice conditions permitting). Free skate and skate aid rentals will be available, courtesy of the Edmonton Arts Council.

At 5pm, join Mayor Andrew Knack in counting down to the official lighting of the Christmas Tree, and watch as the City Hall skating rink comes alive with lights. A White Spruce tree on the west side of Sir Winston Churchill Square will be lit again this year in support of the City’s sustainability goals.

Activity Schedule

4-8pm - Hot Chocolate, Performances, Ice Carving

Free Hot Chocolate – Hallway Café

Location: Hallway Café

Available while quantities last.

Roving Performances – Freeplay for Kids

Location: City Hall Plaza

Join Freeplay for their exciting theatre antics and interactive performance! Be sure to snap some photos and take part in the fun.

Ice Carving Demonstrations – Activate Arts Alberta

Location: City Hall Plaza

Watch the fascinating ice carving demos as talented artists transform blocks of ice! Take a guess and see if you can predict what the final sculpture will be.

5pm - Christmas tree light up in Churchill Square

Location: City Hall Plaza

Join Mayor Andrew Knack in counting down to the official lighting of the Christmas Tree and lights!

5-7pm - LEGO Ornament Building

Presented by the Northern Alberta Lego Users Group

Location: City Room, City Hall

Unleash your creativity with the Northern Alberta LEGO™ Users Group and design a unique LEGO™ ornament to help decorate the community tree!

5-8pm - Photos with Santa

Location: City Room, City Hall

Capture a lasting memory of the day with a festive photo with Santa! Bring home a treasured keepsake. Donations to United Way are welcome.

5:30-7:15pm - Robyn Ashley Music

Location: City Room, City Hall

Get in the festive mood with the incredible live music from musician Robyn Ashley! Her performance is the perfect way to get you in a holiday mood.

Downtown Edmonton

Downtown Edmonton is a place where diversity and creativity flourish. It’s where everyone can gather, celebrate, share ideas, learn, trade and innovate. Sir Winston Churchill Square and City Hall Plaza form the core downtown festival and celebration space in central Edmonton.

Downtown Edmonton continues to transform, building a better and more family-friendly gathering place for citizens and visitors. The City of Edmonton remains committed to creating the conditions for a safe and vibrant downtown year-round – today and into the future.

Parking

Parking is available in the City Hall Parkade, Canada Place Parkade and Stanley A. Milner Library Parkade* for $2/hr ($10 maximum from 8am–6pm), with elevator access for accessibility.

* Note: The 100 Street entrance of the Stanley A. Milner Library Parkade will be closed until further notice. Please use the 99 Street entrance during this time.