BATON ROUGE - Whether you’re a pro or someone who treats falling as a sport, the rink at the Raising Cane's River Center is your new playground.

You might notice that skates are way harder to walk in than you might expect, and honestly, that’s how most people start. You step out, find your balance, maybe grab the rail, and then you realize this is actually doable.

It’s not rushed, it’s not intimidating, and it’s made for all skill levels: kids, adults, and people trying it again for the first time in years.

You also won't be skating alone; if you’re lucky, you might even get to skate with a zydeco hockey player. That’s right, players from the Baton Rouge Zydeco are out on the ice during sessions, skating alongside guests.

“We will have at least two players at every single session, so that’s another fun thing, you can actually come skate with a Zydeco,” said Alysia Guin, who is a part of the marketing team at the River Center. 

This downtown tradition has been bringing winter to Baton Rouge for more than 35 years.

“I just think it’s incredibly important to keep these things that are happening in Baton Rouge that families really enjoy,” said Guin.

And you hear it from the people who come back year after year.

“I’ve seen so many people who said they came as a kid, they brought their kids, and some people have even said I came here as a kid and now I’m bringing my grandkids—and that’s always so crazy to think about that it’s been going on that long," said Guin. 

That’s when this stops being just skating and starts feeling like part of the holiday season. “I think it all adds to that winter component that really makes Christmas feel like it’s happening," said Guin.