With typical Southern California mid-winter temperatures pushing into the 70’s, how about a snow day in Irvine? The Great Park kicks off its winter series with a boatload—make that a sledload--of free winter fun tomorrow, Saturday, January 30, 2010. The GP is offering a long list of events and activities. Admission is free, parking is $8.00, and GP will even provide free sleds and skates.

With 100 tons of the white stuff on hand, Snow Day activities include a winter sports trampoline show, a hockey skill play area, ice carving demonstrations, a professional ice skating show, snow sledding, snow play area, free skating on a temporary ice rink in Historic Hangar 244, and kid's arts and crafts activities.

This is the second annual Great Park Snow Day. According to GP spokesperson Jenn Starnes, last year’s event drew about 6,000 people. The 100 tons of snow will be right next to the visitor center, said Starnes. “It’s enough to make some really good sled areas, and a couple of areas where people can build snowmen and have snowball fights.”

The sledding area will be an artificial slide constructed for the event, similar to a water slide. Starnes said “You climb up the back and slide down the front.”

The Great Park is sponsoring this family snow fun day to launch its “Great Skate” series. The skating series begins this Saturday and continues every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through February 28th. With a temporary ice rink in historic Hangar 244, the Great Skate will showcase the thrill and beauty of ice skating in a nostalgic setting.

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the Great Skate will offer a variety of children's craft activities from noon to 3 p.m. On Sunday evenings, visitors can take a trip back in time while they skate around the rink with '70s music during the 7 o'clock hour, '80s music during the 8 o'clock hour, and '90s music during the 9 o'clock hour.

Starnes said “Through February, when we just have the ice skating going on, everything is free—parking, skate rentals, time on the ice, everything.” She indicated the temporary skating rink is 50 feet by 80 feet. According to Starnes, more than 28,000 people participated in the Great Skate last year. The temporary rink will be removed after the Great Skate ends. Hanger 244 is a “flexible use space” which is used for a variety of events throughout the year.

WWW.OC180NEWS.com asked Starnes who is paying for all this. She said” The Great Park corporation pays for it through revenues we get and through budgeting for public events. We like to have people out at the park so they can come and experience the park. Our job is to do things for the benefit of the community and that’s what we’re doing.”

WHEN: Saturday, January 30th, 2010 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Orange County Great Park, off 5 Freeway and Sand Canyon
Telephone: (949) 724-6574
Web site: http://www.ocgp.org/