Fairbanks: new rink alert

A new ice rink just opened downtown, right where nothing’s been happening for years.

Festival Fairbanks dropped a nomadic skating rink on the old Polaris site along Lacey Street, and suddenly that block has people again.

Skates, lights, music, and families hanging out where a vacant lot used to sit frozen and forgotten.

The rink is designed to move, which means this space gets winter energy now and plans for small retail and activity when summer rolls in.

Instead of waiting years for a permanent project, downtown gets life immediately.

It’s a simple idea, but it changes how people actually use the area during the coldest months.