A synthetic skating surface in the Student Courtyard is at the centre of “Skate the Date,” a three-day festival celebrating winter continuing through Thursday, March 1.

The 20x10m rink, located outside the student centre, will open each day at noon, and there’s plenty more on offer, says organizer Sandra Riccio-Muglia, director of events and programming for the CAW Student Centre.

“We have three days of fun planned,” she says. “No skates? No worries, we have them for you. Don’t know how to skate? Our Lancer Rec team is here to teach you.”

Stations will serve free hot chocolate, s’mores, and maple syrup taffy. Bowls of soup are available for purchase at $2.

Attendees can hit the ice for $2 and rent skates for $3, with additional activities varying each day. Note: the rink is sometimes reserved for specified groups. Check out the full schedule on the event Facebook page.