Fire & Ice Festival kicks off at the Dunes
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This year the annual lighting of the bay at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina looks a little different. The opening night celebration that kicked off the holiday season the day after Thanksgiving added the Fire and & Ice Festival for the first time.
“We’ve always strived to make it different, bigger and grander,” said Phil Ravenna, general manager Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina. “Personally, for me, now in my 10th year of holiday lighting, I wanted to figure something out that was an activity throughout the holiday season for our RV guests and the community.”
Ravenna and his team came up with an ice-skating rink. They wanted to create a temporary outdoor holiday facility similar to those in Costa Mesa, Irvine Spectrum and Huntington Beach. “After I saw the Huntington Beach ice rink, which sold us, then we teamed up with Ice America,” said Ravenna.
Ice America began construction of the 4,100-square-foot portable rink, one of the largest in Orange County, during the first week of November in the parking area between the boat launch and the bridge. “Thus far we’ve had nothing but excitement from people walking by asking what was going up,” said Ravenna.
“We frequently come to Newport Dunes, it’s always lovely to come up here for family fun,” said Lake San Marcos resident Laura Smith, who was staying at the Dunes through the holiday until New Year’s Day. “We saw the ice-skating rink on the Newport Dunes website, and this is the kids’ third time in.” According to newportdunes.com, the 90-minute sessions can accommodate 75 to 80 skaters ages 3 and older, and reservations are highly recommended. The rink is open through Jan. 1 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (last skate session starts at 8) and Mondays through Thursdays from 2 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 27 through Dec. 14 and 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Dec. 18 through Jan. 1.
High school student Hannah Wegner, 16, of Newport Beach was happy to have a rink closer to home since the Great Park in Irvine had been the nearest option.
“It was really fun. I’m glad they decided to implement the rink this year,” said Wegner. “The Christmas music adds to the fun of it.”
During opening night, skaters of all ages and abilities enjoyed the rink in part thanks to the skating aid accessories like Bobby the Seal and Tommy the Reindeer.
Among the 2,700 attendees was Laguna Beach resident Kristie Hensley, who brought her two daughters, Kendal, 8, and Charli, 6. “I’m so excited about it, this is our first time here,” said Hensley. “I get emails from the Dunes, and I booked the ice-skating tickets online a month ago.”
As for the “Fire” festivities, portable fire pits are scattered throughout the facility with “S’more kits” available and accompanied by hot chocolate. Also new this year will be 15-minute “Fire Dancing” shows performed on Friday and Saturday nights at 5:45 and 7:45. The ice portion of the festival includes an igloo bar for adults.
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