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Dates & times
All times are local to the venue · America/New York
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Free skating and rentals anchor opening day, with an elf activity at a location still to be announced and a beginner lesson scheduled the following week.
All times are local to the venue · America/New York
Opening day: Friday, November 27, 2026, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. The rink is scheduled Tuesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–8 p.m., beginning November 27; holiday hours vary. Rink-area entry closes at 7:30 p.m. The final date for the 2026–27 season is not specified.
Winterfest Hartford opens its Bushnell Park rink for the season on Friday, November 27, 2026. Skating and skate rentals are free, whether you come for the opening day or plan a later visit.
If you would rather start with instruction than head straight onto the ice, a free Learn to Skate lesson is scheduled for Saturday, December 5, from 10 to 11 a.m. Beginners of all ages can participate, and skates are free.
The lesson has its own arrival rule: participants must arrive before 10 a.m. They can come as early as 9:30 to complete a waiver and get skates.
Further reading: Learn to Skate — Winterfest Hartford ↗
Opening day also includes a live Elf on the Shelf activity. The first person to find the elf and say “Hartford for the Holidays” can win a prize.
The organizer has not announced the location, so check for an update before building the hunt into a rink visit. It is not yet confirmed to take place at Bushnell Park.
Further reading: Elf on the Shelf — Winterfest Hartford ↗
The 2026 skating listing gives regular hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, with special hours on holidays. Check the organizer’s updates before a holiday visit.
Winterfest began in 2010, and The iQuilt Partnership produces it as a placemaking initiative. Free public skating, rentals and lessons remain central to the season. A separate Santa’s Workshop is scheduled at the rink on December 5; each family receives one free 5-by-7-inch printed photo.
Further reading: Ice Skating — Winterfest Hartford ↗ · Sponsorship — Winterfest Hartford ↗ · Events — Winterfest Hartford ↗
The rink and elf activity are listed separately; the elf’s location is still to be announced.
Every skater must complete a waiver on site or in advance and show the confirmation email to enter. Each adult must complete a separate waiver.
Opening-day skating is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; entry to the rink area closes at 7:30 p.m.
The rink may close in inclement weather and closes when Hartford has a parking ban. The organizer posts cancellations on its website and social media.
Helmets are recommended but not provided. A few lockers are available in the warming shed; bring a lock and remove belongings when leaving the rink area. Ask skate-shack staff for the key to the accessible restroom, which has a baby-changing station.
The rink is in Bushnell Park beside the Pump House. The event listing gives the park address as 99 Trinity Street; for GPS, the organizer recommends 60 Elm Street, Hartford, and says the rink is visible from Pulaski Circle.
CTtransit and CTfastrak buses stop within three blocks of the park. The organizer lists free Winterfest street parking on Elm Street between Trinity Street and Pulaski Circle, and on Jewell Street. Check posted parking signs.
No. Rentals are free, with sizes from children’s 9 through adult 15.
Ice Skating — Winterfest Hartford ↗ · FAQ — Winterfest Hartford ↗
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult to enter the rink area.
Yes. You can complete it in advance or on site, then show the confirmation email to enter. Each adult needs a separate waiver.
Its location has not been announced. Check the organizer’s updates before making plans around it.
A free lesson is scheduled for December 5, 2026, from 10 to 11 a.m. Arrive before 10; participants may come as early as 9:30 a.m.
99 Trinity Street, Hartford, CT 06103
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-10-29 against the linked sources.