COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s been over a decade since the U.S. Figure Skating National Championships has been hosted in Ohio, and the event is bringing together several entities within the community. 

What You Need To Know

  • The U.S. Figure Skating National Championships run from Jan. 22-28 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus

  • The Columbus Metropolitan Library partnered with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission for different events and acitvities

  • The ice skating displays and activities will be available at the main library through the end of January

The Columbus Metropolitan library has partnered with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission to offer a new way to get the community involved in the 2024 U.S. Figure Skating National Championships. As they brainstormed different ideas and activities, they let their imagination run wild. 

“Is there an opportunity to have an actual rink in the building?,” said Dorcas Taylor Jones, who serves as the communications manager for the Columbus Metropolitan Library. “The conversations went on from there and we found a company that was recommended to us that actually creates these synthetic ice rinks, and here we are.”

The fun doesn’t stop with taking off your shoes to slide around on “Sockefeller Center.” When families walk in, they are immediately greeted by a display of ice skating costumes, themed figure skates and more.

“We have book displays about figure skating and also winter activities that you can do in that kind of format with the figure skating theme,” said Taylor Jones. 

The collaboration has come at the perfect time for Katherine Hoffmann and her son. They visit the library often. She said that she’s been able to take advantage of the different books and activities to teach her son new reading and life skills. 

“We kind of opened the door to conversation about competition events in general,” said Katherine Hoffmann. “He’s really enjoying it and it’s kind of opened up social connections to him. There’s been a lot of new friends made.”

The library gives people a hands-on way to learn about ice skating by trying something new. 

“Engraved upon the main entrance of the library, it says “opened to all” and we really believe that as a philosophy,” said Taylor Jones. “That goes into the books and the items that we pick for our collection. We want to make sure that everybody who comes through those doors knows that it is open for them and we showcase that through the materials that we have available for them.”

The U.S. Figure Skating National Championships run through Sunday. This weekend the library will host two figure skaters turned authors and offer author talks and Q&A sessions. The figure skating exhibits and activities will be on display through the end of January. You can learn more by visiting here.