PORTSMOUTH – Strawbery Banke Museum recently announced the much-anticipated return of Seacoast Skating with the Stars (SSWTS), a professional skating event presented in partnership with Ice Dance International (IDI). The fifth bi-annual showcase takes place on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at 2 PM at Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond, the Museum’s professionally maintained outdoor skating rink, with a weather date of Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, at 11 a.m. For more information and tickets, visit StrawberyBanke.org/sswts.

This event spotlights six local “stars” who team up with professional skaters from Ice Dance International. Modeled after the popular television show Dancing with the Stars, the pairs perform in front of a live audience and a panel of judges who evaluate their technical skills and artistry. Audience members also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite performances.

VIP tickets include access to an exclusive viewing area on the rinkside Kennebunk Savings Terrace, the opportunity to meet and greet the skaters, and skating admission to Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond post-show until 4 p.m. (first come, first served). VIP tickets are $22 for adults, $18 for children (ages 5-17), and free for children under 5. General Admission includes a rinkside view of the event. General Admission tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children (ages 5-17), and free for children under 5.

“We’re thrilled to bring back Seacoast Skating with the Stars and offer the community an event that unites people of all ages,” said Linnea Grim, president and CEO, Thomas W. Haas Endowed Chair. “This celebration of local talent and professional skating creates a spirit of joy and connection, and we’re proud to host it at Strawbery Banke. The event truly reflects what makes our region so special—remarkable talent, shared experiences, and a genuine sense of community.”

In addition to performances by the local stars, the event will feature choreographed performances by Ice Dance International professionals by Douglas Webster, artistic director of Ice Dance International, and Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond. Fans of all ages will be treated to skillful routines by professional athletes and local participants, with esteemed judges awarding scores based on technique and expression.

“Seacoast Skating with the Stars beautifully combines community, artistry, and the joy of ice dancing,” said Webster. “Ice Dance International is dedicated to fostering inclusivity and showcasing the elegance of ice dance as a performing art, and this event highlights those values while inspiring connection through movement, and is a true celebration of winter.”

Details on the local stars who will take center ice at this year’s event will be announced soon via the Museum’s website, Facebook Page (Facebook.com/StrawberyBankeMuseum), and Instagram Account (instagram.com/strawberybankemuseum).

About Strawbery Banke Museum:
Strawbery Banke is a nearly 10-acre living history museum in Portsmouth, NH that interprets over 350 years of local history, from Indigenous history to the present. Through its historical houses on their original sites, heirloom gardens, traditional crafts, and costumed roleplayers, visitors are invited to explore the stories of the families who lived and worked in the authentic waterfront neighborhood of Puddle Dock. As the first Smithsonian Affiliate in New Hampshire, Strawbery Banke is part of a prestigious network of more than 200 Affiliates across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Panama.

Strawbery Banke welcomes visitors, members, schoolchildren, and volunteers for daily programs, exhibits, special events, and seasonal ice skating. Strawbery Banke Museum is funded in part by grants from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation; the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts & National Endowment for the Arts; the Institute of Museum and Library Services; the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy Demands Wisdom; the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program. For more information and a complete calendar of events, please visit StrawberyBanke.org.

About Ice Dance International:

Established in 2014 as a non-profit organization based in Maine, Ice Dance International (IDI) has built its local, US, and global image through live and virtual performances and its educational programs. IDI exists to showcase and promote ice dancing as an internationally recognized performing art form. With a professional company and board of directors of figure skaters and choreographers including World, Olympic, and National champions, IDI brings ice dance performances of the highest caliber to communities across the United States. To learn more about Ice Dance International, the company’s winter residency at Strawbery Banke, and IDI’s upcoming national tour called SOAR featuring Olympic Champion Gabriella Papadakis, visit, IceDanceInternational.org.