Ice rink boost for festival

Rotorua's outdoor ice rink is set to open for another season this weekend.

The ice rink, sponsored by Harcourts and owned by New Zealand company Ice World, will be returning as part of Fire and Ice - Rotorua's winter festival.

Last year's successful event saw nearly 18,000 skaters take to the ice on the Village Green, with just as many attending other festival events. About 40 per cent of skaters were from outside Rotorua, providing a welcome boost to the local economy.

Fire and Ice co-ordinator Kylie Lang said she was excited to see the rink back again this year.

"Having the ice rink return has allowed us to produce new events within Fire and Ice and create an exciting festival in a usually quiet time of year.

"It has also enabled us to bring back this top quality event again, so it can be experienced by locals and visitors."

"This year will be even bigger than last year with an exciting new event called Luminite which will have a lantern trail weaving through the Government Gardens as well as Lantern Workshops for three weeks including the school holidays."

The festival is a family-focused event created for locals, and to encourage visitors in a usually quiet time of year.

The festival includes lantern workshops, a mid-winter Christmas at the Night Market, outdoor movie at the Village Green and lantern trail called Luminite at the Government Gardens.

The Harcourt's Ice Rink will be open until July 28, with most of the events happening in the final two weeks of the month with the school holidays.

Fire and Ice is sponsored by the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust, Rotorua District Council, First Sovereign Trust, The Radio Network and the Rotorua Daily Post.