By Aya Furin-Campbell, NewsVision
It’s Holiday on Ice at the White House! The First Lady unveiled the 2023 White House Holiday Ice Rink on the South Lawn on Wednesday. The landscape was transfigured into a magical landscape, which aligns with the White House theme of “Magic, Wonder and Joy” to reflect how children experience the festive season. NewsVision’s Aya Furin-Campbell has the story.
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First Lady Jill Biden Unveils White House Ice Rink, Bringing ‘Magic, Wonder and Joy’ to the Holidays
By Ebenezer Nkunda
Howard University News Service
In a festive celebration at the White House, First Lady Jill Biden unveiled the 2023 White House Holiday Ice Rink on Wednesday, ushering in a theme of “Magic, Wonder and Joy.”
Biden was accompanied on the South Lawn by 1988 U.S Olympic and world champion Brian Boitano, who described the ice rink as the “most iconic place he has ever skated.” The event featured youth skaters from the NHL/NHLPA Learn to Play program, with notable attendees including Gary Bettman, commissioner of the National Hockey League, and Will Shafroth, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation.
The holiday theme is inspired by the enchanting way children experience the holidays, aiming to evoke a “sense of pure delight and imagination.” The First Lady expressed her hope that the ice rink would restore that childhood nostalgia and create a memorable experience for visitors.
Operating throughout December, the White House Ice Rink will be available to the children of military families, frontline workers, first responders, educators and local school children who receive special invitations to skate. In a collaborative effort, the NHLPA and NHL will conduct classes through their Learn to Play program. This initiative offers coaching and complimentary gear for first-time participants.
Biden shared childhood memories of swimming on the iced-over Delaware River and expressed her desire to infuse the White House with that same feeling of joy and wonder during the holiday season.
The unveiling ceremony included performances by the Adagio Pairs team and soon-to-be newlyweds David Faria Oliviera and Carlina Justine Ramirez, who showcased their skills in a routine set to Sia’s “Candy Cane Lane.” Adding to the festive atmosphere, Snoopy, the beloved Peanuts beagle, joined forces with Kim Navarro, skating director at Snoopy Home Ice, for a performance that delighted the audience.
Kitty McGorry, coach of the Capitol Theatre on Ice, expressed her team’s gratitude for the unexpected honor of performing for the First Lady on the South Lawn of the White House.
While the White House ice skating rink is not a new addition to holiday festivities on Pennsylvania Avenue, its reappearance marks a significant return after a long absence. The last time the South Lawn featured an ice skating rink was in 1980 under the Carter administration, when then-President Jimmy Carter hosted a memorable holiday party featuring a performance by Olympic figure skater Peggy Fleming.
As the White House transforms into a winter wonderland, it is using the ice rink as a focal point to reignite the magic of the holidays.
Ebenezer Nkunda is a reporter for HUNewsService.com.
