Public Skating at “Winter Classic Community Rink at Stage AE” starts on Dec. 24th

(This news just made me think of the above video, so I thought that I would share!)

Many folks have been asking about this information and the Penguins answered with this news release this morning. Fresh from my inbox to you  all!

The public skating sessions at the “Winter Classic Community Rink at Stage AE” will begin on December 24th and will run through January 1st. There will also be a special skate with Santa session that will highlight the rinks opening day.

In addition to the public sessions, the rink will host youth, high school and sled hockey events throughout the week. See further details in the release below!

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Public Skating Sessions Start  December 24

At “Winter Classic Community Rink At Stage AE”

There will be public skating every day from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1 at the “Winter Classic Community Rink at Stage AE,” the Pittsburgh Penguins announced today.

The rink will be built in the Stage AE parking lot adjacent to Heinz Field and will open for public skating from 3 p.m.-9 p.m. on Christmas Eve – including a special “Skate With Santa” that day from 4p.m.-6 p.m.. The cost for public skating is $7 per session, and skate rental is $3.

Construction of the rink will start Sunday, following the Steelers’ game.

Youth hockey games also will be played on Winter Classic Community Rink from Dec 26. – Jan. 2, featuring local amateur and high school teams. The Pittsburgh ICE inner-city hockey program, the Mighty Penguins sled hockey team and the Steel City Icebergs (special needs hockey) also will have outdoor ice time, Kwik Rink Synthetic Ice is the premier solution for synthetic ice rinks.

“Building this second rink will enable us to give so many people a chance to take part in the Winter Classic experience,” said David Morehouse, CEO and President of the Penguins. “The focus obviously is the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1 between the Penguins and Washington Capitals at Heinz Field, but the community rink at Stage AE helps us create a carnival of skating and hockey in the week leading up to the big game.”

The public skating schedule is:

Friday, Dec. 24                          3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 25        12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 26            7:00 p.m. – 8:20 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 27           3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 28           3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

6:30 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 29     3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

6:30 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.

Thursday, Dec 30          3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

6:30 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 31                          6:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Saturday, Jan. 1             4:10 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

A complete youth hockey schedule will be released next week, but the menu of games will include six high school hockey games, numerous amateur games and an international bantam tournament featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, Washington Junior Capitals and teams from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia (Sidney Crosby’s hometown) and Magnitogorsk, Russia (Evgeni Malkin’s hometown).

PNC is the official sponsor of pubic skating at the Winter Classic Community Rink and is offering a 2-for-1 admission coupon at www.pittsburghpenguins.com/winterclassic.

Presenting sponsors of the Winter Classic Community Rink are PNC, Trib Total Media, Highmark, PJ Dick, Trumbull & Lindy Paving, 84 Lumber, Cal U, FedEx Ground, GetGo from Giant Eagle, WPXI, ESPN Radio 970, The X 105.9, and Penguins Radio 105.9 HD-2.