Safeway Holiday Ice Rink Opens 19th Season

The Union Square rink is open daily through Jan. 18, with tickets sold online and new themed skating nights.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Ice Shows

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a pale oval ice rink ringed by a dark rail, string lights at its edges, and a distant silhouette of downtown San Francisco towers under a hazy dusk sky. — The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink opened its 19th season Wednesday evening in Union Square, San Francisco, and runs daily through Jan. 18 with online tickets. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you plan to visit a downtown holiday ice rink this season?

The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink at Union Square opened Wednesday evening for its 19th season in San Francisco. The rink will run daily through Jan. 18.

Why it matters

The rink is a long-running holiday fixture in downtown San Francisco, and its opening gives residents and visitors a scheduled seasonal activity in Union Square. Advance online ticketing and themed nights shape how the public can plan visits.

The rink is in its 19th season and will be open daily through Jan. 18, with Mid-week Merriment themed skating starting at 8:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Ticket prices and the number of free beginner lesson slots were not specified.

The players

Brian Boitano

Brian Boitano is an Olympic gold medalist figure skater from San Francisco who was featured at the rink's opening celebration.

The details

Tickets can be purchased in advance online. Beginner skaters can enter a lottery to win a free skating lesson on a weekend, and opening night featured Olympic gold medalist and San Francisco native Brian Boitano.

Wednesday evening: Rink officially opened for the season with a celebration.
Every Wednesday this holiday season: Mid-week Merriment themed skating at 8:30 p.m., including Dolly Parton and KPop themes.
Through Jan. 18, 2027: Rink open daily for the season.

Season Trajectory

The 19th season continues a seasonal fixture that has run at Union Square for nearly two decades, extending a tradition tied to the downtown holiday calendar. Its themed nights signal an ongoing effort to keep the annual program fresh while keeping the core winter schedule intact.

Tickets can be bought in advance online, and beginner skaters can enter a lottery for a free weekend lesson. Mid-week Merriment nights run every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. through the season.

The takeaway

Planning ahead helps: booking tickets online in advance and checking the Wednesday themed nights can make a downtown holiday visit smoother before the rink closes Jan. 18.