It might be the height of Summer, but already thoughts for some are turning toward the Christmas season.
Tickets go on sale today for "Christmas on Ice", which includes a 1,200 square metre outdoor ice rink, one of the largest in Europe, to open in Dublin this November.
The new ice rink will hold over 15 million ice cubes and can accommodate up to 3,000 skaters, nearly twice as many as in last year's hugely popular rink in Smithfield. It will take at least 10 days to construct, say organisers of the €1 million project.
This year's event takes place in the RDS and organisers say as well as a much bigger skating capacity there will be more facilities than last year. They hope to attract up to 300,000 people. Among the new attractions planned to give Dublin what the organisers say will be a "Rockefeller New York" vibe, are the ice rink, a Continental-style Christmas market, a "polar palace" where children can meet Santa and a separate ice rink for children.
And for those to whom the rigours of ice-skating don't appeal, a heated outdoor terrace will be provided where they can sit back and enjoy a hot chocolate at a safe distance.
"Christmas on Ice" will run from the 21st of November until the 11th January 2004 and will open each day from 9.30a.m. to 10.30p.m. Ticket prices start from €7 for a skating session.