By Khalida Sarwari
Figure skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi will be in downtown San Jose tonight for a ceremony celebrating the opening of a holiday ice skating rink.
The Olympic gold medalist will participate in the 5 p.m. event alongside hula dancers and musicians. Representatives of her Always Dream Foundation and sponsor Hawaiian Airlines will also attend the event.
Yamaguchi was born in Hayward, attended Mission San Jose High School in Fremont and later transferred to Willow Glen High School in San Jose. She is the 1992 Olympic Champion in women’s singles.
Tonight, she will skate to “I Miss You Hawaii,” a traditional Hawaiian song, amid a circle of 32 palm trees.
The rink is located at the Circle of Palms, on South Market Street across from Plaza de Cesar Chavez.
The rink will be open through Jan. 17, 2011, typically from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. weeknights, 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday, noon to midnight on Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
Between Dec. 17 and Jan. 1, the rink will open at 11 a.m. to give skaters extra time on the ice.
Admission, including skate rental and unlimited ice time, is $15 for adults and $13 for children who are age 10 and under.