Skate Sarnia is celebrating its 75th anniversary with its first ice show since 2019, before the start of the COVID pandemic.
A carnival is coming up on April 1, featuring choreographed numbers with music from Disney’s “Descendants” trilogy.
Director Laura Smith said about 150 skaters will take part in the celebration, ranging in age from three to 60 years old.
"It's a show for all ages, from the young to the young-at-heart," said Smith. "We actually feature skaters right from the ground up. This year, we have another alumni number, so we'll be bringing back some of our skaters from the past 75 years."
Smith said anticipation is building, and they're very excited.
"We've officially started our practices, so there's a lot of buzz going on around the arena," she said. "Although it's sometimes a stressful time for the kids, coaches and parents, it's also the most exciting time of our year. We're thrilled and we're so excited to be welcoming our special guests, including Sarnia's own Michael Marinaro and his partner Kirsten Moore-Towers."
Marinaro and Moore-Towers are three-time Canadian National Pairs champions, and competed in the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics.
Over their eight-year competitive career together, the pair has won the Canadian National Championship three times and hold the current Canadian record.
Canadian Senior Pairs duo Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud will also be on hand for the day. In December, they competed in their first international event in Croatia, winning the bronze medal.
There will also be an opportunity to "Skate with the Champions" prior to the show. Tickets were sold in advance.
Tickets for the anniversary celebration, taking place at Pat Stapleton Arena, are $20 and can be found online at www.skatesarnia.net.
They'll also be available at the door and during group sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays leading up to the show.