Holiday Skating Spectacular set for Ellenton this weekend

Every year at this time, the people at Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex create a "Holiday Skating Spectacular" that celebrates the season with a show full of gorgeous sets, simulated snowfall and displays of skating from world-class professionals.

This year's spectacular promises to be one of the best yet. It's titled "My Favorite Things" and it's sort of a "best of" show, with the finest and most popular segments from the shows of the past eight years of holiday spectaculars.

The cast features some true stars of the skating world, including 2014 U.S. Olympian Nathan Bartholomew and international figure skating champions Tarah Kane and Danny O'Shea. The show's director is Jim Peterson, an Olympic skating coach in 2010 and 2014.

Besides all those pros, the cast includes lots of local youngsters and adults who skate at Ellenton ice, including some very young kids from beginning skating classes.

The show is popular every year, and this year's show, which is presented three times instead of last year's four, is sold out already. But it's worth calling or showing up just before showtime in case there are any no-shows.

Details: Dec. 12-13, Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex, 5309 29th St. E., Ellenton. Show times: 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: Adults $20, Children under 10 and seniors over 60 $10. Information: 941-723-3663, ellentonice.com.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 9:17 PM with the headline "Holiday Skating Spectacular set for Ellenton this weekend ."