The Marin Art and Garden Center kicked off its Winter Wonderland celebration on Dec. 6, which welcomed visitors of all ages to a magical holiday experience. The event, which lasts through Dec. 15, offers a skating rink, cookie decorating, live entertainment and activities to bring the community together.
The main attraction of this event is the outdoor skating rink. Under the bright twinkling lights and artificial snow being blown, families were able to skate on the environmentally friendly surface. Iris Lax, the Executive Director of the Marin Art and Garden Center, strongly believes in an eco-friendly event.
“We’re proud to offer a green alternative to traditional ice skating,” Lax said. “[The rink] is synthetic. We really didn’t want to use water. When kids fall, it doesn’t hurt much, and it’s not cold.”
The rink can hold 40 people at a time and attracts people of all ages. Audrey Shapiro, the Director of Events and Programs at the Marin Art and Garden Center, explained its appeal to a variety of visitors.
“It’s a great option for families, and the penguin skate aids can help beginner skaters,” Shapiro said.
With magical touches like the Magnolia Grove and a twinkling effect of lights around the entire garden, the area is beautifully transformed. The rink was developed by a former British hockey player and member of the 2002 British Hockey Team; he and his group built the innovative synthetic material that was originally created for off-season hockey training.
“They started setting up Wednesday, and it took them a few days to complete it. He brought in a crew with the skates and everything else we needed,” Shapiro said.
Besides the rink, visitors can participate in many more festive activities. There are cookie decorating kits donated from local bakeries and crafts from the Marin 4-H, a hands-on educational project camp for youth, along with STEM workshops to provide additional entertainment for families.
“[This event] is really about community collaboration,” said Lax. “We partnered with local schools and organizations to make this an engaging event.”
However, Winter Wonderland is more than festivities. It is also a fundraiser for the Marin Art and Garden Center, a nonprofit dedicated to keeping its gardens and programs open to the public.
“Everything we earn goes right back into maintaining this beautiful space,” said Lax. “It’s great to see the support from our community.”
The festivities will continue every day up until Dec. 15. With an entrance fee of $30 per skate including skate rentals, and each session being an hour long, families can enjoy the magical atmosphere that the Marin Art and Garden Center offers at the beginning of each December.
