Bury St Edmunds' free ice rink is back in Charter Square from 22 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, 11am to 5pm. No booking, 30-minute sessions, shut 25 Dec.
Bury St Edmunds’ free Christmas ice rink is back in Charter Square, in the arc shopping centre, from Tuesday 22 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027. It costs nothing to skate and there is nothing to book: you turn up and queue for a session.
The quick answer
- Dates: Tuesday 22 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027, in Charter Square, the arc, IP33 3DG.
- Times: 11am to 5pm most days; 10am to 4pm on Christmas Eve; closed on Christmas Day.
- Price: free. No tickets and no booking.
- Sessions last 30 minutes, and that includes putting your skates on and taking them off.
- It is synthetic ice, not real ice, and everything is subject to the weather.
All of this is from the Our Bury St Edmunds listing for the 2026 rink, checked on 17 October 2026.
Is it on this year?
Yes. The BID’s listing says the rink is “back by popular demand” and gives the full 2026 timetable. It is run by Our Bury St Edmunds BID and Bury St Edmunds Town Council as part of Christmas in Bury St Edmunds, the programme of events that replaced the old Christmas Fayre (our Christmas markets page explains what happened to the Fayre).
The Mayor of Bury St Edmunds, Cllr Donna Higgins, opens the rink at 11am on Tuesday 22 December.
Opening times, day by day
| Date | Open |
|---|---|
| Tue 22 Dec | 11am (opening by the Mayor) to 5pm |
| Wed 23 Dec | 11am to 5pm |
| Thu 24 Dec, Christmas Eve | 10am to 4pm |
| Fri 25 Dec, Christmas Day | Closed |
| Sat 26 Dec to Mon 4 Jan | 11am to 5pm every day |
That is 13 days of skating, including New Year’s Day, according to the listing.
How the sessions work
There is no booking system. Each session lasts 30 minutes, and the BID is clear that the half hour includes getting your skates on and off, so the time on the ice is shorter than that. The terms and conditions for using the rink are displayed at the rink itself rather than online, so read them when you arrive.
The rink is synthetic rather than real ice, and the BID says all activities are subject to weather conditions, so on a wet or windy day check Our Bury St Edmunds before you set off.
Where it is
Charter Square is the open square in the middle of the arc shopping centre, by The Apex, postcode IP33 3DG. The rink goes in two days after the Eden Crafts marquee market in the same square closes on 20 December, so the two never overlap.
Parking
The nearest car park is Arc-Cattlemarket, IP33 3DG, run by West Suffolk Council: 865 spaces, £3.20 for up to two hours and £4.20 for up to three, with a four-hour maximum stay. Charges apply from 8am to 8pm Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm on Mondays, and 10am to 4pm on Sundays and bank holidays. Its underground level locks at 6pm, which matters only if you stay on in town after a late session; the lock-in number is 01284 763252 (West Suffolk Council).
Every other town car park, with its charges and hours, is on our parking page. Road closures over Christmas go on our roadworks and travel page.
More free Christmas things in town
- Family rides in the Abbey Gardens, 25 November to 23 December, free: details on our Abbey Gardens page.
- The Christmas Lights Event, Thursday 19 November, 3pm to 8pm: our lights page.
- Father Christmas at Moyse’s Hall, West Stow and the Theatre Royal’s Christmas Cabin in the arc: our Santa’s grotto page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an ice rink in Bury St Edmunds this Christmas?
Yes. A free synthetic rink opens in Charter Square in the arc on Tuesday 22 December 2026 and runs until Monday 4 January 2027.
How much does the Bury St Edmunds ice rink cost?
Nothing. Entry is free and there is no booking.
Is the ice rink open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
It is open on Christmas Eve from 10am to 4pm and closed on Christmas Day.
How long is a session?
Thirty minutes, including putting on and taking off your skates.
Checked on 17 October 2026 against the Our Bury St Edmunds listing for the Christmas Ice Rink and West Suffolk Council’s Arc-Cattlemarket car park page. If the times change, this page will be updated.
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