'Raise The Rink' Event Celebrates 25 Years Of Mitchell Park, Spotlights Efforts To Restore Village Ice Rink

GREENPORT, NY — It will be a day, and night, of celebration in Greenport soon as a "Raise the Rink" Community Picnic celebrates the 25th anniversary of Mitchell Park, while also supporting efforts to restore the seasonal village ice rink, officials said.

The event, which includes music, food, and family activities, takes place on Saturday, August 8, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Mitchell Park — and coincides with the arrival of the U.S. Coast Guard Barque Eagle in Greenport as part of the national Sail250 celebration.

Admission is free, and all are invited to enjoy an evening on the waterfront while supporting the campaign to raise $100,000 in community donations, officials said.

Every dollar contributed will be matched, up to $100,000, by Friends of Mitchell Park, doubling the impact of every gift, event organizers said.

"This is a special day for Greenport," said Greenport Village Mayor Kevin Stuessi. "We're honored to welcome the U.S. Coast Guard Barque Eagle to our waterfront while celebrating 25 years of Mitchell Park. It's the perfect opportunity to come together as a community, enjoy everything that makes Greenport unique, and help bring back an amenity that generations of families have enjoyed."

Visitors can spend the day participating special events throughout the village before gathering at Mitchell Park for the evening celebration.

Daytime activities

Public tours of the U.S. Coast Guard Barque Eagle from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Free screening of "Blades of Glory "at 1 p.m., courtesy of the NFAC Sapan Greenport Theatre.

Raise the Rink Community Picnic: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Live music by Deadwood and Friends

Greenport Fire Department Marine Rescue BBQ

Local oysters

Doublespeak caft cocktails

Suhru + Lieb Vineyards wines

Beer

Shaka shave sce

Slapshot Competition presented in partnership with the New York Islanders

Family activities and community fundraising throughout the evening

The Greenport Village Ice Rink is a community-led effort to restore seasonal skating at Mitchell Park and create a winter gathering place for residents and visitors alike, event organizers said.

Supported by a $1.2 million New York State grant, "the project also depends on community fundraising to unlock reimbursement funding and move construction forward," officials said.

The campaign is seeking to raise $100,000 in community support, with every dollar matched by Friends of Mitchell Park. To date, $18,000 has been raised.

To learn more or make a tax-deductible donation, click here. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

The event follows the presentation of the check for the ice rink at Mitchell Park in Greenport in 2024.

For years, the ice rink, which was initially created with an eye toward drawing visitors to the village during the winter months, had often remained closed both due to warmer temperatures and desperately needed, costly repairs.

In 2024, Gov. Kathy Hochul visited Greenport to announce a $1.2 million investment to support the construction of a brand-new outdoor ice rink at Mitchell Park. Hochul presented a check to Mayor Kevin Stuessi, "underscoring the state’s commitment to revitalizing this key community asset," the governor said.

The original ice rink at Mitchell Park, which opened in 2005, was celebrated as the first publicly owned rink on Long Island since the construction of Nassau Coliseum, Hochul said.

However, after nearly two decades, the rink had fallen into disrepair, leading to the rink's closure on many winter days during recent years — and leaving many parents whose children utilized the rink for hockey programs crying out for answers.

The new rink, "a critical component of Greenport’s efforts to enhance local infrastructure and promote economic activity during the winter months", was pitched to replace the original temporary structure and serve as a "vibrant hub" for local residents and visitors, Hochul said.

"Greenport’s Mitchell Park is not only a cherished recreational space but also an economic driver for the village," said Hochul. "By investing in this new ice rink, we are ensuring that the park continues to thrive as a gathering place for families and a source of wintertime enjoyment for years to come."

Stuessi added, at the time: "As one of the first on Long Island to sign up for the Governor’s pro-housing initiative, we are thrilled with this wonderful gift to our village to help build community and business year-round. We look forward to opening the ice rink in time for celebrating the 25th anniversary of Mitchell Park and America’s 250th Birthday."

The $1.2 million in state funding was meant to contribute to the estimated $1.7 million total cost for the engineering and construction of the new ice rink, officials said.

Once completed, the rink is expected to play a "significant role in boosting winter tourism and supporting local youth sports programs, reinforcing Greenport’s status as a year-round destination," officials added.

Stuessi told Patch: "It’s going to be great fun to open a permanent ice rink in what started long ago under Mayor David Kapell and former Village Administrator Dave Abatelli who, at the suggestion of Jacqueline Copas, who owned The Rhumb Line, used bunch of hay bales in an oval — and a hose to fill it with water to freeze for skating."

The ice rink investment marked a significant step forward to ensuring Greenport remains a "vibrant, inclusive, and resilient community," she said.