Here Come the Rinks!

With freezing temperatures in the forecast, we’re excited to bring back another Wilmette Park District winter tradition—the outdoor ice rinks! Get ready to embrace winter and enjoy a bracing skate in the beautiful scenery of Mallinckrodt and Thornwood Parks. 

Our Parks and Planning crews are poised and ready to begin flooding on Monday, January 6, at both sites. The rink surface takes three to five days to be ready for skaters. Watch our bulletin board and make sure you’re signed up for Park District emails (form located at the bottom of this page) to catch the official announcement when the rinks open. 

This year, both Mallinckrodt and Thornwood rinks will have lighting, and signs with rules and hours of use will be posted at each rink. More details are available on our Outdoor Ice Rinks page.

Please note, we won’t be setting up an outdoor ice rink at Gillson Park this year due to the Gillson Infrastructure Improvement Project. Instead, plan your visit to Mallinckrodt or Thornwood once the rinks are complete! Don’t delay—our rinks are dependent on freezing conditions and can only last while the season cooperates.