Bryant Park Winter Village 2026: Oct. 28 opening, free skating, hours and rentals
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park opens at noon on Oct. 28. Skating is free to enter, with rink hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and later hours over the holidays.
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park opens at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 28, and the rink stays open through Feb. 28, 2027. Admission to the 17,000-square-foot rink is free, and skate rentals and other extras cost money. Bags are not allowed on the ice, and coats must be worn or checked, so plan what to bring before you go.
Opening date and rink hours
The Bryant Park home page says Winter Village opens at noon on Oct. 28. The rink season runs from Oct. 28, 2026, to Feb. 28, 2027, and it is open every day, holidays included.
- Regular hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
- Holiday and peak hours, Nov. 19 to Jan. 3: 8 a.m. to midnight
- Jan. 31: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Full details are on the official Winter Village page.
Free ice skating and skate rental prices
Skating at The Rink is free if you bring your own skates. The park also puts on free skating shows and events during the season. Prices listed on the park’s site, before taxes and including an administrative fee, are:
- Skate rentals: $18.72 to $64.48, with lower prices at off-peak times
- Express Lane with rental skates: $87.52
- Express Lane with your own skates: $18.42 to $36.86, on select dates
- Premium Skate: $156 to $182, which includes a skate concierge, snacks and a drink, access to the shared Polar Lounge, rental skates, bag check and extra ice time
- Skate Aid: $26, free before 10:30 a.m. while available
- Helmet rental: free. Socks and locks are $6.24 each
Rental sizes run from kids 6T to 7T, big kids 1 to 4 and adults 5 to 14. Bank of America cardholders get 10% off eligible skate rentals bought online with a Bank of America debit or credit card from Oct. 28 to Feb. 28, 2027. The discount does not work with Google Wallet.
How skating sessions and tickets work
Almost every session gives you 50 minutes on the ice. Ice time starts 20 minutes after the time on your ticket, so you have time to get skates and lace up. The first session of the day runs longer. The park says to allow about 70 minutes from your arrival time to leaving.
If you bring your own skates, tickets come out each day for skate times one week ahead. Each skater gets one time slot per day, with a limit of five tickets per booking. An Express Lane ticket takes you straight to lace-up and gives you 75 minutes on the ice.
There are no refunds. You can reschedule paid rental skate tickets, or cancel them for store credit, up to one hour before your start time by using “Manage this booking” in the confirmation email. Groups of 30 to 100 skaters must book a group reservation ahead of time. Group bookings cannot be made for the same day.
Bags, coats and rink rules
Bags are not allowed on the ice, and coats must be worn or checked. The park suggests leaving personal items at home if you do not want to pay for bag check. Lockers are limited, so bring a lock or buy one there.
- Shoe check: free
- Bag check: $6.24 per item, $18.72 for an oversized item such as a stroller or suitcase, or $18.72 to fill a bag
- Stroller parking: unattended stroller parking, first come, first served, starting in mid-November near the info kiosk on the fountain terrace
You need a Winter Village skater wristband to get on the ice. Phones, headphones, cameras, backpacks, pocketbooks, food and drinks are not allowed on the ice. Children under 14 must be with an adult at all times, and you cannot carry a child while skating. Spins, jumps and skating backward are not allowed. The center of the rink is kept for lessons and figure skating.
Ice cuts, weather and closures
The ice is resurfaced at set times, and those breaks are already built into ticket times. The breaks are at 9 a.m., 10:40 a.m., 12:20 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:40 p.m., 5:20 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:40 p.m., each lasting 20 minutes. On midnight-closing days there is another at 10:20 p.m.
The rink is open rain or shine but may close for heavy rain, and the whole park closes in severe weather. If your session is canceled for weather, you will get an email. The park posts daily updates in the rink message on the Bryant Park home page. You can check the forecast on the How2NewYork NYC weather page before you go.
Holiday Shops, igloos and other Winter Village activities
The Winter Village activities list includes The Rink, Cozy Igloos, Bumper Cars on Ice, Club Santa, Santa’s Corner, Holiday Shops, The Lodge, The Lodge Live Events, Overlook Lounge and the Winter Games Celebration. The park says ice skating, Cozy Igloos and Club Santa can be reserved now, and it suggests booking peak dates early.
The park’s pages have not yet published 2026 dates or hours for the Holiday Shops. The newsletter offers early access to Bumper Cars on Ice tickets.
Getting to Bryant Park
Winter Village is a park event, and the city has no street closures on file for it. The official Bryant Park pages used for this guide do not give transit directions. For subway and bus options, see the How2NewYork transport guide, and check live subway status before you leave, since service changes can affect your trip.
Sources
Checked on October 17, 2026. This guide is updated as the organizers, the city and the MTA publish new details.
Quick answers
When does Bryant Park Winter Village open in 2026?
Bryant Park says Winter Village opens at noon on Oct. 28, 2026. The rink is open through Feb. 28, 2027.
Is ice skating at Bryant Park free?
Yes, admission to the rink is free. Skate rentals cost $18.72 to $64.48 including an administrative fee, before taxes.
What are the Bryant Park rink hours?
The rink is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. From Nov. 19 to Jan. 3 it is open 8 a.m. to midnight, and on Jan. 31 it is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Can I bring a bag onto the ice?
No. Bags are not allowed on the ice. Bag check costs $6.24 per item, shoe check is free and lockers are limited.
How long is a skating session?
Most sessions give you 50 minutes on the ice, starting 20 minutes after your ticket time. An Express Lane ticket gives you 75 minutes.
