Strawbery Banke Museum presents Ice Dance International’s free Holiday Party on Ice

PORTSMOUTH– Strawbery Banke Museum is proud to present Ice Dance International (IDI) for a magical evening of world-class skating and festive entertainment with their free Holiday Party on Ice show. The public is invited to attend the performance on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 at 6 p.m. at Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond on the grounds of the historic Strawbery Banke Museum. The event is free to attend and does not require registration.

The Holiday Party on Ice show promises to be an enchanting experience for the entire family, filled with holiday cheer and spectacular performances. Following the show, guests are invited to enjoy ticketed public skating.

An impressive lineup of talented skaters who will bring the rink to life with their performances. The star-studded cast includes:

• Alissa Czisny: 2 x United States Champion known for her elegant style and technical prowess.

• Tim Koleto: Olympic silver medalist whose dynamic performances captivate audiences.

• Kseniya Ponomaryova: United States Open Champion, known for her innovative choreography.

• Rohene Ward: A premier skating artist celebrated for his creativity and artistry on the ice.

• Danil Berdnikov and Bethann Weick: from Ice Theatre of New York and Le Patin Libre

IDI’s local Strawbery Banke adult performance group including Martha Stone, Abigail Douris, Cynthia Mead Whitcomb, Siobhan Tully, Caden Costello, and Genevieve Patterson will also perform and debut their new number “What the World Needs Now is Love.”

“Our Holiday Party on Ice shows are designed to get people into the holiday spirit, celebrating the magic of the season through the joy of athletic and theatrical skating,” said Douglas Webster, executive and artistic director of Ice Dance International. “We are thrilled to bring this experience to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and to share it with a global audience through live streaming, thanks to the collaboration with Boston and Maine Live.”

In addition to the Holiday Party on Ice, visitors can catch the Currier & Ives Vintage Christmas Skaters during the 46th annual Candlelight Stroll, continuing Ice Dance International’s ongoing partnership with Strawbery Banke Museum. Performances take place Dec. 5–7, 12–14, and 19–21, 2025, and remain a beloved tradition and one of the many ways IDI engages with the Museum throughout the season.

“Our partnership with Ice Dance International continues to transform Strawbery Banke in winter,” said Linnea Grim, president & CEO and Thomas W. Haas Endowed Chair. “Their artistry adds even more beauty to the Museum’s campus  and brings new audiences into a deeper relationship with this historic place. Skating at Strawbery Banke creates an accessible, joyful entry point into history, even for those discovering us for the first time.”

For those who can’t attend in person, the event will be available to watch via live stream, provided by IPTimelapse.com and PortsmouthWebcam.com through the Boston and Maine Live YouTube channel. The link to stream will be available on IDI’s Facebook and Instagram pages as well as IDI’s website, IceDanceInternational.org.

About Strawbery Banke Museum:
Strawbery Banke is a nearly 10-acre living history museum in Portsmouth, 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 Institute of Museum and Library Services; the National Endowment

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 programming  at Strawbery Banke, visit IceDanceInternational.org.