Skate by the Sea at Tybee’s Iconic Pier & Pavilion
Tybee offers free ice skating for the first time ever
A longtime haven for snowbirds escaping to our warmer shores, Tybee Island is quickly becoming a premier destination for the holiday season. Between the glittering coastal Christmas decorations, the festive holiday happenings, and the free parking through New Year’s Day — our beautiful barrier island really shines this time of year. As families make their way to Tybee for the holiday cheer, they can take advantage of a brand-new enchanting opportunity.
For the first time, the city has partnered with the Pier & Pavilion to present Skate by the Sea: free ice skating at the pavilion. This novel offering captures the wonder of the season by gifting the public with a fun and free opportunity to skate amid the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. What a way to kick off the holidays!
The idea for Skate by the Sea found its origins some years ago when City of Tybee Communications and Outreach Director Cassidi Kendrick attended a Main Street conference.
“I met a vendor . . . who had these types of holiday rentals, and I thought that would be super cool to do on Tybee,” said Kendrick. “But it can be a little expensive, and also the logistics of it — I had no idea how we were going to work it out. It was just a big idea that I had coming out of the conference.”
About two years after that catalyzing conversation with that conference vendor, the city collaborated with the Pier & Pavilion to offer ice skating.
“The pier is running the daily operation of the rink and the skate rentals, and the city is a sponsor,” she said. “We really thought it would be a great addition to the holiday events to add an ice skating rink.”
Originally, Skate by the Sea was only going to be a pop up event one weekend, but the city and pier were able to expand it over a few weeks, from Nov. 26 through Dec. 14. The rink is open daily, weather permitting, from 12–8 p.m. While it’s technically not made of ice, the rink, made with large synthetic panels, emulates the experience of a conventional ice rink, with the added benefit of proximity to the ocean. The rink is completed with holiday decorations, making the wintertime wonder all the more wonderful.
Ice skating and skate rentals are completely free of charge to provide incentives to visit, shop and dine at local businesses during the off season.
“Over the last few years, we’ve really tried to make Tybee the premier destination for the holidays because in the off season, it’s a little harder for our businesses to stay open. . . This was just one other thing we wanted to try out to bring more people, and so far it’s been pretty successful. . . A lot of the families and kids are enjoying it,” said Kendrick.
She encourages the public to Skate by the Sea this year;
“It’s just a really cool experience . . . and with the tree lighting, the Christmas parade and the holiday market, the rink is going to be open. It’s just another addition, another reason to come out and spend time on Tybee for the holidays.”
While Skate by the Sea is available at no charge to the public, organizers are asking for canned food donations and pet supplies this holiday season. Visit the City of Tybee Island’s Facebook page for more information.
