The ninth annual Winterfest Hartford skating rink again drew more than 80,000 people to the Capital City’s Bushnell Park, organizers said Wednesday.
The 45-day event, which began the day after Thanksgiving and concluded Sunday, drew 40,000 skaters and another 40,000 to 50,000 spectators, officials said. That mirrors attendance figures the eighth annual event recorded in 2017-18.
More than 300 children and adults also participated in the event’s free Learn to Skate program.
Winterfest Hartford also exceeded its fundraising goal on GoFundMe, collecting more than $252,200 in donations.
In addition to free skating, Winterfest provided a giant game room and “Music Mondays” featuring songs from certain decades, Disney and Broadway, among other entertainment.
The event was held by promotional initiative iQuilt Partnership, a private-public redevelopment project focused on connecting downtown Hartford’s cultural assets, including historic landmarks, modern architecture, museums, performance spaces and public art.
The group includes the city of Hartford, the state of Connecticut, MetroHartford Alliance, Riverfront Recapture, Greater Hartford Arts Council and others.
