Vienna Ice Dream Will Start Ahead of Schedule
Although the famous Vienna Christmas Market on Rathausplatz has to be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, the City of Vienna is able to antedate the Vienna Ice Dream, which will now start just in time for the Christmas festivities on December 24. Since ice skating counts as an outdoor sports, it is allowed under certain circumstances.
The Vienna Ice Dream will start ahead of time on December 24. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Jakob Reiter / CC BY-SA 3.0 AT (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/at/deed.en)
In 2020 many things remain uncertain until the end. Because in the year of the Covid-19 pandemic, planning is difficult to impossible on almost all levels.
This affects the event industry in particular, as was shown once again by the cancellation of the Vienna Christmas Market on Rathausplatz.
In order to provide the Viennese people with a safe and secure place to move around and experience the heart of the city, the City of Vienna has decided without further ado to realize the Vienna Ice Dream ahead of schedule:
Just in time for Christmas, on December 24, 2020, the 26th Vienna Ice Dream on Rathausplatz with 8,300 square meters of ice on two floors will open its doors and invite its visitors to go skating on Christmas Day.
The many years of experience of the organizer "stadt wien marketing", an innovative safety concept as well as an enormous amount of effort during the construction work make this early start of the season possible.
In order to align with Covid-19 measures, there are some innovations for the protection of the visitors.
The exact details are yet to be announced.
For Mayor Michael Ludwig, this step is the right signal:
"Vienna has already shown several times in this challenging year that with determination and competence many safe solutions can be created. That's why we want to continue to offer the population an attractive and safe range of outdoor sports and exercise opportunities as far as possible. Just in time for Christmas, the city offers the Viennese something unique in the world - the Vienna Ice Dream. And Vienna is thus once again sending a strong signal that, even under difficult conditions, joie de vivre, responsible togetherness and a courageous look ahead are possible".
Peter Hanke, City Councillor for Economic Affairs, adds:
"It is thanks to many years of experience and a well thought-out combination of measures that with the Vienna Ice Dream, safe sports fun in the center of a big city is possible even in these challenging times. Many hard-working hands will be needed in the coming weeks during the construction work to master this mammoth task and to provide a successful Christmas surprise with the opening on December 24th. I am pleased that we can offer the Viennese a beautiful prelude to the holidays and entertaining exercise in the fresh air."
Even until the opening of the Vienna Ice Dream on December 24, the Christmas world in the Rathauspark with the Heart Tree and Nativity Trail as well as a splendidly sparkling park decoration is illuminated daily at nightfall and invites to romantic and contemplative walks.