You’re a wizard, Philly—or, should we say, you can be a wizard or witch come this Saturday at the Rothman Roller Rink.
The colorful and retro-inspired activation opened in front of City Hall at Dilworth Park late last month, and will be posting up there until July. Throughout its run—on top of offering skating, food and drinks—the Rink will also be home to some unique events, including the Wizards and Witches skate on May 14.
From 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., according to a release, each Rothman Roller Rink visitor will receive complimentary giveaways (while supplies last) including wands, wizard glasses and temporary tattoos. Additionally, kids can also practice their charms during a “potions class” by making take-home slime. As an extra bonus, at the end of each skating session, all wizards and witches in-training will be asked to recite a spell aloud for another surprise.
But it wouldn’t really be a wizard/witch activation without some authentic games, right? Roller Quidditch matches will be held during each skate session, and it’s open for all ages to join in. How does it work? Everyone will be given the chance to score while in motion, but if a goal is missed, the player will be eliminated. Those who do score will be given another chance and so on until the top three players remain. The declared winners will then be rewarded with gift cards to the Air Grille Garden.
Speaking of the Grille, the Rink’s eatery will be serving up their standard menu with a few extra additions come this Saturday including the Sorting Hat Sipper (available as a cocktail or mocktail). This particular beverage gives patrons the chance to discover their destined wizard house (though magic of course,) and the Grille’s own version of “Butter Beer” will also be offered as a one-day-only treat, as well as select snacks and sweets.
Perhaps the most exciting and unique draw to this Saturday’s festivities however will come from The Philadelphia Quidditch Conference. The local chapter represents the United States Quidditch Association, and will be onsite to assist in the roller games as “Keepers.” The group will also be set up in the park with additional Quidditch goals for Philadelphians (muggles and all) to play at their leisure.
Tickets can be found online.
If you can’t make it out to the Rothman Roller Rink this Saturday however, there are a few more options to check out this week. On Wednesday, May 11, Rewind at the Rink ft. Great on Skates will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. During this particular activation, Great on Skates members and DJ Beezy will spin throwback tunes from the 70s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s, while nostalgic lawn games will be set up for people to play at their leisure.
Adults 21 and over can also check out specialty food and drink options at the Air Grille beer garden, including Jim Beam Orange cocktails and a Goose Island Neon Beer Hug. A valid Rothman Roller Rink ticket is required to skate during the time of the event, and dressing up is encouraged.
Finally, a rotating lineup of local small businesses and makers pop up weekly with a variety of offerings for all tastes. Guests can support these vendors at their leisure while wandering through the park, including on May 13 and 14 from noon to 6 p.m. But overall, more events, including the Park’s popular spring Zumba activations, will be listed on its site.
As a their website states, hour-long sessions at Rothman will be offered to the public Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11:15 p.m. with 15-minute scheduling buffers between each session. Admission is $8 for children 10 and younger, and $10 for adults, while roller skate rental is $5. Or, guests may bring their own skates and will then just need to pay for admission. Matinee Skate will offer $5 off of admission to guests of all ages on Mondays and Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information on the Rothman Roller Rink and its upcoming events, visit centercityphila.org
