Let’s not make this more than it is — It’s skating on watered-down plywood.
Rather than the portable ice-freezing machine imagined at the words “artificial ice skating rink,” the $8,000 expended on two days for the rink alone paid for watered-down puzzled-together plywood. Explained one worker as he used a broom to sweep the clear “lubricant:” “It’s more like gliding on water than skating on ice.”
Other festivities in El Dorado Festivals and Events Inc.’s Bright Friday wonderland include a giant inflatable snow globe and the promise that Santa will fly in on a helicopter around 3:30 p.m. to greet children and take wish lists from 4 to 7 p.m. Skating and snow globe photos will run from 12 to 8 p.m. To skate for an hour or to purchase a photo inside the snow globe costs $5.
The entire event will continue tomorrow but tonight will be the real test of success during the 6 p.m. downtown lighting ceremony.
Photos by Allison Gatlin.
UPDATE: Austin Barrow, president and executive director of festivals and events, told one of our photographers that for liability and insurance purposes Santa won’t be landing in the helicopter, rather he’ll walk out of the Union County Courthouse at 4 p.m.
The helicopter is still on the schedule, but will bring presents for the kids instead of Santa.
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