The 6th annual H-E-B Year of Joy Holiday Ice Skating Party, the city’s only free ice-skating party for children from underserved communities, takes place 4 – 6 p.m. Tues., Dec., 14, at Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney.
Some 100 children from Third Ward and surrounding areas will enjoy holiday fun on ice. This year, the children participating represent Hype Freedom School, Southside Community Center, Blackshear Elementary and Sehah Youth and Fitness Center.
The event is being held in partnership with Discovery Green Conservancy. The ice rink, managed by Ice Rink Events, is generously opening an hour early and, along with the conservancy, is providing admission and skate rental for the children.
Houston skating coach Dayyanah Coleman, a Haitian native who started ice skating as an adult, will perform, along with other competitive Black figure skaters. Also, the Year of Joy Figure Skating Scholars Hailee Brown and Aniyah Treadwell, both high-school students, will demonstrate their talents. Since April, the girls have received free ice-skating lessons with Coleman and their first pair of ice skates and gear, all through the inaugural Year of Joy program.
Miss Houston ambassadors and Santa Claus, a volunteer with 100 Black Men of Houston, will join the fun. KPRC 2 anchor/reporter Sabirah Rayford will serve as emcee. Mayor Sylvester Turner is scheduled to visit the children.
The holiday event is sponsored by H-E-B. Also, alliantgroup, with a team of employee volunteers, will provide the children with holiday gift bags and STEM kits. All participants will be required to wear masks during the event.
The Year of Joy Holiday Ice Skating Party was started in December 2016 by Houston Chronicle lifestyle and culture columnist Joy Sewing, who became Houston’s first African American figure-skating coach while in college. Year of Joy is a 501c3 non-profit organization.