Most Hawaii residents know that if the winter weather’s right, it’s possible to ski and sled in the snow on Mauna Kea in the morning and then zip down to sea level for surfing and swimming in the afternoon. Oahu doesn’t have the altitude for natural snow, but a snowbank is sometimes created at kids’ events.

Creating snow that lasts an hour or two is one thing, but maintaining an outdoor ice rink large enough for skating is a much larger challenge. Until this month, ice skating has been strictly an indoor activity in Hawaii, but that’s about to change.

On Friday, the Ward Winter Village Ice Rink will open for six weeks in Ward Village Courtyard, which is next to the Ward Village Information Center — the Honolulu landmark that most residents know as the former "IBM Building."

"The outdoor ice rink will offer the community a special opportunity to experience holiday magic amongst the many festivities we host throughout the year," said Todd Apo, vice president of community development for Ward Village, via email.

Installing and maintaining a 4,200-square-foot open-air ice skating rink in tropical Honolulu is a new endeavor for Ward Village and its parent company, The Howard Hughes Corp. Hughes has set up similar open-air ice rinks on the mainland but never in tropical weather. (A spokesperson for Ward Village said that the entire rink will be covered with a tent and kept cold using the same technology that is being used for Kristi Yamaguchi’s Golden Moment Hawaii ice show at the Blaisdell Arena this weekend.

At 118 feet long and 36 feet wide, the rink will have the capacity to accommodate up to 120 skaters. Skate rental is included in the $15 admission, but skaters must bring their own socks or buy socks at the rink. Other than that, there is no "dress code" to skate. Long-sleeve shirts and long pants are recommended.

Children under the age of 15 may skate by themselves but must be accompanied by an adult.