Lisa Abernathy, recreation supervisor of the St. Louis Park Rec Center, said the Turkeys on Ice event has been held the day before Thanksgiving annually.

“We’ve done it as long as I have been here and I’m sure long before I was here too,” Abernathy said. “It’s just open skating around Thanksgiving so that’s why we call it Turkeys on Ice.”

Sophomore Alanna Franklin said she thinks that Turkeys on Ice is a great time to skate and have a good time. 

“I would go to Turkey on Ice because it’s a good opportunity to have fun and enjoy skating,” Franklin said.

Freshman Zachary Nathan said events that are open to anyone help bring the public together.

“I think it’s important to go to and to create events like this because it builds (the) community,” Nathan said.

According to Abernathy, there will be two rinks open that people can skate on.

“We have both sheets of ice inside and out that we will be utilizing for this,” Abernathy said. “Come to have a good time, get some exercise and skate also. It’s a good activity to do with your friends and family.”

Franklin said she believes the Rec Center’s reasoning for hosting Turkeys on Ice is to encourage people to skate even around the holidays.

“The Rec Center most likely did this to bring in more people to use their facility even when it’s (around) Thanksgiving,” Franklin said.

According to Abernathy, there will be bingo right before skating opens so people can play bingo then go skate.

“There is a bingo program that is held from 11 p.m. to 12 p.m. right before open skate,” said Abernathy.

Turkeys on Ice will take place from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 21 at the Rec Center.