Lace 'em up: Downtown's giant FREE skating rink is returning to Montreal

The giant free skating rink in downtown Montreal will reopen to the public this winter, channelling some serious Rockefeller Center vibes.

The 1,500 sq ft elevated (and refrigerated) rink is part of the 24th edition of the Montréal en Lumière festival at the Quartier des Spectacle.

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The rink, the centrepiece of the L’Esplanade Tranquille, is free of charge for anyone to use.

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While people are encouraged to bring their own skates, you can easily rent a pair on-site.

The outdoor ice rink on the Esplanade Tranquille is part of the Quartier des Spectacles’ winter initiative to make the borough “vibrant and illuminated” at the heart of the metropolis.

The goal of the outdoor project, Les moments lumineux du cœur de l’île, is to “ensure the economic vitality of downtown Montreal,” throughout the winter.

Les moments lumineux du cœur de l’île will also host the 13th edition of Luminothérapie and the illumination of downtown with half a million lights.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says the Quartier des Spectacles’ outdoor activities will help to make Montreal a “world-class Nordic metropolis.” She says it’s important for the City of Montreal to “celebrate this northernness and to associate it with a cultural offer accessible to the entire population and tourists.”

The Mayor says she invites “all Montrealers to make the most of the programming that will shine a light on downtown this winter.”

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Because the outdoor rink is so dependent on weather, an opening date has yet to be announced but we’ll keep you posted when it reopens to the public.

Last year, the rink was open every day from 9 am to 11 pm.