New ice rink among family fun at Long Island farm's Winter Wonderland 

Slip into ice skates and whirl around the new rink at Waterdrinker Family Farm & Garden Center in Manorville this holiday season.

"Ice skating is a big, new feature," says Marc Weiss, manager. The rink is made from artificial ice called Glice, so it doesn’t have to be frozen, he says. The farm will rent skates and the rink can accommodate about 40 people at once. "We wanted something for people to do outside so you can still get out with your family in a safe environment," Weiss says.

The rink joins the other activities at the farm’s second annual Winter Wonderland, which runs Wednesdays through Sundays through Dec. 20. Masks will be required at all the activities, even outdoors, Weiss says.

AIRSTREAM VILLAGE

An Airstream Christmas village area has been expanded this year to allow for more space, Weiss says. Four vintage, rounded, silver Airstream trailers set the mood. Three of them are decorated with winter accessories such as snowshoes and old-fashioned wood skis or sleds; the fourth is a gift shop that sells ingredients for s’mores, hot chocolate, holiday trinkets and more.

Visitors can spread out around an outdoor bonfire pit surrounded with benches. Christmas songs play on the outdoor sound system and holiday movie clips play on a screen. Holiday lights adorn the area.

FESTIVE ADDITIONS

Photo opportunities abound, Weiss says. New this year is a vintage blue car similar to the 1930s Oldsmobile featured in the 1983 movie "A Christmas Story." Other nostalgia from that movie includes the iconic leg lamp and child in a pink bunny suit. Also new is a gingerbread photo area.

Visitors will see a red Santa sleigh and an enormous, holiday wreath they can pose inside. During certain hours, the farm hopes to let families take free, socially distanced photos with Santa. And the farm’s Christmas trees poinsettias, wreaths and centerpieces are always for sale.

Entry price for the Airstream Winter Wonderland is $10 per person, with children 2 and younger free. The price for the optional ice skating is an additional $10 for skate rentals (no outside skates permitted), Weiss says, and it's first come first serve weather permitting. The farm is at 663 Wading River Rd., Manorville. For hours and updates, call 631-878-8653, or visit water-drinker.com.

By Beth Whitehouse

beth.whitehouse@newsday.comBethWhitehouse1

Beth Whitehouse writes about families, parenting and great things to do with the kids on Long Island. She’s been a Newsday editor and shared a 1997 Newsday staff Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the crash of TWA Flight 800.