A visitor who drives up for a Saturday on the ice at Wingfield Park pays $20 for a day pass with skate rental. A Ruidoso resident pays $20 for the whole season.
That one line in the Village's price list changes what the rink is. For anyone who lives here, the outdoor rink at 300 Center Street costs about as much as a single afternoon and stays open for about eleven weeks. It opens Saturday, November 28, 2026 and closes on Presidents' Day, Monday, February 15, 2027, according to Ruidoso Parks & Recreation. Several of the Village's early December events happen at the rink or close by.
The pass, priced against a single visit
Here are the 2026–27 prices as posted by Parks & Rec:
- Day pass with skate rental: $20 per person
- Day pass with your own skates: $12 per person
- Ruidoso Resident Season Pass: $20 per person
- All sales are final. No refunds.
The season runs 80 calendar days from opening Saturday through Presidents' Day, and the rink is scheduled to close only on Christmas Day. A household with its own skates breaks even on the pass partway through the second visit. The pricing makes weeknight skating after work or school a real option. Regular weekday hours are 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., which suits an after-dinner hour on the ice.
The price isn't new. Last winter's listing on Visit Ruidoso showed the same three prices: $20 with rental, $12 with your own skates and a $20 locals season pass for Ruidoso residents only. The rink is in its second straight season at that price, so the pass is an established part of the season. Questions about the pass and rink operations go to Parks & Rec at 575-257-5030.
The first stretch of the season, by date
The rink opens just as the Village's holiday events start, and several of those events are at the park itself.
| Date | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 20–22 | A Christmas Affair | Ruidoso Convention Center |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Rink opening day | Wingfield Park, 300 Center St. |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Christmas in the Park, 5:30–8:00 p.m. | Wingfield Park |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Homemade Holidays Family Day | Wingfield Heritage House Museum |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Festival of Lights Parade, 5:30 p.m. | Sudderth Drive, Midtown |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Christmas Tree Lighting | Downshift Riverside |
| Dec. 19–Jan. 5 | Rink holiday hours, open daily | Wingfield Park |
A Christmas Affair opens at the Convention Center the day after this post goes up. The rest of the dates above fall within the rink's first six weeks.
When the 60-skater limit matters
The rink holds a maximum of 60 skaters at a time. When it fills, skating switches to 45-minute rotations so people waiting can get on the ice. On a quiet Tuesday evening that won't come up. It's more likely on the busiest days, when school is out and the rink runs long hours.
Holiday hours run from December 19, 2026 through January 5, 2027:
- Open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Thursday, December 24: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Friday, December 25: closed
- Thursday, December 31: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Outside that window, the weekend schedule is 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. With a season pass, a rotation-heavy holiday afternoon is easy to trade for a quieter weekday evening.
Two rules apply to families. Children 12 and younger must have a parent on the rink premises, and children 5 and younger must have an adult on the ice with them at all times. The rink also closes for severe weather when needed, so employees can get home safely. On a snowy evening, call ahead.
December 3 puts the tree lighting next to the ice
Christmas in the Park is on Thursday, December 3, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., and the rink is part of the program. Parks & Rec's event listing says the evening starts at 5:30 with music and ice skating. Around 6:00 p.m., Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive in a sleigh with Mayor Crawford to light the community Christmas tree.
After the lighting there are sleigh rides from Grindstone Stables and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and kids can stop by for a chance at a free toy from Ruidoso Parks & Recreation. The park's lights stay up through January. The rink stays open about two weeks past that, to February 15.
That makes the tree lighting a good first night on the pass. Skating starts at 5:30, so you can be on the ice before Santa arrives, and the lights will still be up on every later weeknight visit through January.
December 5 and 6 carry the season down Sudderth
Toys go out at Wingfield Park on December 3, and two days later they're collected on Sudderth Drive. The Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce's Festival of Lights Parade steps off Saturday, December 5, at 5:30 p.m. The 2026 theme is "A Holly Dolly Christmas," according to the Chamber's 2026 parade application. The Chamber is partnering with Toys for Tots, and Parks & Rec's parade listing asks spectators to bring a new, unwrapped toy for the collection.
If your business, club or family wants to put a float in, here are the details from the application:
- Entry deadline: Wednesday, December 2, at 3:00 p.m. Late entries may be charged fees.
- Lineup: begins at 4:30 p.m. on Sudderth Drive between Mechem and the traffic circle.
- Finish: the Pizza Hut and Chamber of Commerce parking lots at 720 Sudderth Drive.
Earlier that Saturday, the Wingfield Heritage House Museum hosts Homemade Holidays Family Day. The museum at 2813 Sudderth Drive is free and open Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It recently marked its second anniversary by opening a new exhibit, "Carmon Phillips: Capturing Mid-Century Ruidoso."
On Sunday, December 6, the Village's November newsletter lists a Christmas Tree Lighting at Downshift Riverside. That's Downshift Brewing Company's Riverside taproom at 2704 Sudderth Drive, a restaurant, brewery and coffee spot with patios and decks over the Rio Ruidoso. After the park tree on Thursday and the parade on Saturday, it's the third lighting in four days.
A newer stop on the Midtown stretch
Between the rink and the parade, Midtown has a couple of newer names at 2515 Sudderth Drive, the address known as Box Car Alley. At its October 13, 2026 meeting, the Village Council approved a spirits wholesaler liquor license for Still Wild NM LLC, doing business as Still Wild Distillery, at that address. The Ruidoso Midtown Association scheduled its November 3 business mixer at Still Wild's Box Car Alley tasting room. Discover Ruidoso describes it as a locally owned craft distillery making locally crafted spirits and cocktails.
Discover Ruidoso's holiday shopping guide lists Roots in Suite 2A at the same address. It's a locally owned shop with plants, coffee, home goods, jewelry, art, gifts and New Mexico-made products. It's a local option for stocking stuffers during the same weeks the rink is open.
A few quick answers
When does the Ruidoso ice rink open? Saturday, November 28, 2026, at Wingfield Park, 300 Center Street. The scheduled closing day is Monday, February 15, 2027.
How much is the Ruidoso resident season pass? $20 per person, the same as one visitor day pass with skate rental. All sales are final.
What happens if the rink is full? Capacity is 60 skaters at a time. When the rink is full, skating runs in 45-minute rotations.
Is the rink open on Christmas? No. It's closed Friday, December 25, and closes early at 5:00 p.m. on December 24 and December 31.
Misty Strickland has lived through decades of Ruidoso winters and keeps up with the Village's calendar just as closely as she follows the market. If you're thinking about what a full winter here looks like for your family or a second home, call or email Misty for a personal market consult through Misty K Strickland.
