Another Day in Paradise: Celebrating 10 Years of Ice in Paradise

Last week, Ice in Paradise celebrated an incredible milestone — 10 years of serving the Goleta and Santa Barbara communities with ice sports, recreation, and connection. The anniversary was marked by two unforgettable events: a special ribbon cutting ceremony and a fun-filled community celebration, both of which captured the spirit and strength of our skating family.

Thursday, October 9: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

We kicked off the celebration on Thursday, October 9th from 3–4 PM with a 10-Year Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the rink.

At the ribbon cutting, we were honored to welcome VIPs from across our history — including past general managers, longtime coaches, board members, skaters, sponsors, and devoted staff — as well as two representatives from the South Coast Chamber of Commerce, who joined us in commemorating this important moment.

The event included:

• A welcome address

• The official ribbon cutting and commemorative photos

• Reflections from Board President John Ewasiuk and General Manager Breanne Bonilla-Walsh

• Recognition of our "10 Years with Ice in Paradise" Honorees — skaters, coaches, and community members who have been with us since the beginning

Mayor Paula Perotte offered kind and supportive words during a presenter proclamation at the Goleta City Council meeting earlier in the week, recognizing the impact of Ice in Paradise on the local community.

It was a meaningful tribute to a decade of hard work, collaboration, and shared joy.

Saturday, October 11: Another Day in Paradise Celebration

Then on Saturday, October 11th from 11 AM to 5 PM, we opened our doors wide for a full day of celebration. Another Day in Paradise drew a large, enthusiastic crowd that included board members, sponsors, staff, coaches, skaters, longtime supporters, and first-time visitors.

The rink was alive with activity all day long. Guests had the chance to:

• Participate in Learn to Skate and Learn to Play Hockey sessions

• Enjoy a dazzling Skating Exhibition

• Try their hand at Open Broomball and Curling

• Join in three hours of Public Skating

For just $10, attendees enjoyed a full day of experiences, whether they were seasoned skaters or just testing the ice for the first time.

Outside, the parking lot transformed into a lively vendor area with booths from:

• UCSB Figure Skating & Ice Hockey

• American Riviera Figure Skating Club

• Ice Hawks Youth Hockey

• Granite Curling Club

• Penguin Skate and Sports Supply

• UCLA Health

• Goleta Valley Library

• Children's Resource and Referral of Santa Barbara County

• Old Spanish Days

Guests were also treated to live music from The Last Decade Band, adding to the festive and welcoming atmosphere.

Huge Thanks to Our Sponsors

We are deeply grateful to our event sponsors — Cal-Real Pools, Noozhawk, and UltraAnalog — for their generous support. Your partnership makes events like this possible and ensures we can continue serving our community for years to come.

A Decade on Ice — and Just Getting Started

Celebrating 10 years of Ice in Paradise reminded us of everything we’ve built together — and everything we have to look forward to. Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or just discovered us this weekend, we thank you for being part of our story.

Here’s to the next chapter — and to many more days in paradise.