There is nothing else like the sensation of being out on the ice; the feeling of it racing beneath you as you smoothly slide, letting the chill of winter whisk across your face as you skate. There is also a communal feeling when free skating recreationally alongside friends and neighbors. An indulgence as everyone who participates shares in the joy, whether they skate for sport or for fun, or whether they barely know how to skate at all.

For those who gloriously glide, as well as for those who falter and fall, being out on the ice with a group of people is undoubtedly a smile-inducing good time. But add to it thousands of beads of light dancing along to groovy disco beats, all under a beautiful winter’s night sky, and you have a truly unique experience.

To usher in the spirit of late 70s, early 80s roller rinks, where flashing lights bouncing off an ever-spiraling disco ball accompanied disco hits from the Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer, and KC and the Sunshine Band, NedRINK hosts Disco Night. Guests are invited to participate regardless of their skill level, either rent a pair of skates or bring their own, and, after signing an online waiver form, free to skate at their leisure.

The allure of Disco Night brings families out for a fun time, as well as groups of friends of all ages looking for the perfect combination of entertainment and recreation on a Friday night. There were young kids as well as teenagers, racing each other or grouping along the rink walls to take selfies. There were young couples out for a date night, holding hands as they struggled and screamed and laughed across the ice.

There were even lone skaters, dressed in glowing garb, beyond appropriate for the disco theme, dancing across the ice to “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, as well as moving to their own freaky groove.

Though there is no roof from which to hang a disco ball, NedRINK volunteers have arranged speciality lighting around the rink to send colors swirling and dancing out onto the ice. The music was always pumping as Disco Night partied on from 6 - 9 p.m. The event has proven to be extremely popular. On Friday, January 6, NedRINK’s parking lot and ice rink/dance floor became completely filled by 7:30 p.m.

NedRINK is now operated by the Town of Nederland and the Parks Department, who are also responsible for the coordination of the hard-working volunteers that help make Disco Night a success. NedRINK’s staff worked diligently into the evening to ensure all guests had read and signed the waiver, to provide guests with the right size and style skates, and to deliver to guests piping hot Cup Noodles.

The winter months up here in the mountains are truly a magical time, when our “sleepy” little communities wake up and experience a one-of-a-kind exuberance out in the cold with one another. Feeling the sting on our cheeks while watching our breath dissipate into the air, enjoying together the recreational wonders that nature creates…while adding to it a few thousand watts of colorful electric magic and blasting “Funky Town”, is definitely a big part of what enchants us to live here.

Disco Night goes down every Friday night from 6 to 9 p.m. at NedRINK (Racquet and Ice for Nederland Kids) located at 500 Indian Peaks Drive in Nederland. For more information about many of the programs offered by NedRINK, including Learn to Skate lessons, the Curling program, and private rentals of the rink, or information regarding becoming a NedRINK volunteer go to: https://nedicerink.wixsite.com/ nedrink or call 720-514-9624.