From 1986 to 2003, Charles Schulz’s Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa, now better known as Snoopy’s Home Ice, presented annual holiday shows starring such top skaters as Dorothy Hamill, Scott Hamilton and Robin Cousins.
Local skating fans still remember those shows fondly.
After Schulz’s death in 2000, that tradition eventually faded away, but it continues on a smaller scale at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, with skaters performing at the ice arena’s ninth annual free tree lighting ceremony.
“We have a tradition here at the Ice Arena to kick off the holiday season with a free family event based around a tree lighting ceremony and that includes a skating exhibition,” said Justin Higgs, general manager of Snoopy’s Home Ice.
Tonight’s event “will be extra special because we have some professional guest skaters,” Higgs said.
The program features Ryan Bradley, 2011 U.S. Figure Skating Championships gold medalist; Ashley Clark, 2011 Pro Skaters Virtual Skate-Off champion, and Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre, two-time US Ice Dance bronze medalists.
Entertainers also include the skaters from the Visions Ice Theater Project, the Special Olympians of the Santa Rosa Figure Skating Club and their volunteer “skate buddies,” and of course, Snoopy.
Snoopy’s Home Ice is at 1667 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa. Information: 546-7147, snoopyshomeice.com.