On Friday evening at the City Center at San Ramon's Bishop Ranch, the Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink opened for its fourth holiday season.
The rink's namesake, decorated Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi was present at the celebration Friday.
"This is my backyard, I live here in the East Bay, I am here at City Center all the time, shopping, enjoying the dining," Yamaguchi said.
"And obviously skating is my love, so to have this rink here is really special and means a lot, and something to expose a sport I love and an activity I love to so many families out there," she continued, noting this rink, "might inspire the next generation of skaters."
Local competitive skaters performed at the rink's opening ceremony and were excited to know Yamaguchi would be watching.
"I feel really happy because she’s a really great skater and I really look up to her skating," said Renha Kim, a 14-year-old skater from Dublin.
A portion of the ticket sales for the rink goes to Yamaguchi's "Always Dream" foundation which supports youth literacy.
This year, guests will find new outdoor fire pits around the rink as well as a bar.
"It's awesome," said Cheryl De Ocampo of Castro Valley who stumbled upon the rink with her family.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
"We just saw it and we were entranced by the singing and the ice skating rink, and then we ran into Kristi Yamaguchi which was awesome, I am star-struck!" De Ocampo said.
Rink organizers said the rink will be open rain or shine, unless downpours are severe.
Look here for more information about the rink and hours this year.
