Howard Commons Activity Complex is open, with roller skating rink, biergarten and special events

Kendra Meinert, Green Bay Press-Gazette
Updated ·4 min read

HOWARD - Visitors can take their first spin around the new Howard Commons Activity Complex on foot or on roller skates when it opens Tuesday.

An open-air pavilion, amphitheater, skating rink, biergarten, children’s splash pad, activity center and rental space are among the features of the four-season outdoor gathering space. Construction began last summer, but the village's vision for such a development goes back more than 20 years.

“We’re just excited. There’s nothing like this in the state of Wisconsin,” said Melissa Martinson, director of the Howard Commons Activity Complex. “It’s going to be great."

Located at 2750 Howard Commons, here's what you'll find to see and do, including special events and hours for this week's soft opening.

The rink in the open-air pavilion at the Howard Commons Activity Complex will host roller skating during the warm weather months and ice skating in winter.
The rink in the open-air pavilion at the Howard Commons Activity Complex will host roller skating during the warm weather months and ice skating in winter.

It's roller skating in the summer and ice skating in the winter

The Arnold and Gloria Schmidt Pavilion's 60-foot-wide by 120-foot-long outdoor rink will offer roller skating in warm weather and ice skating in the winter.

Beginning Tuesday and running through the end of August, open skating hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; noon to 5 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays and Wednesdays. Note that open skating on Aug. 17 ends at 4:30 p.m. due to live music.

The rink has lighting and music, like parents and grandparents might remember from the roller rinks of their youth. Martinson grew up in Howard going to Wheels n Motion, the rink on Glendale Avenue from 1986 to 2008. On Sept. 1, a DJ at the rink will aim to bring back some of that nostalgia.

“We want to try to recreate that atmosphere for people and for adults to be able to share those memories with their kids — kind of relive their childhood,” Martinson said.

Cost for open skating is $4 for ages 4 and older. A wristband is good for all day, so skaters can come in the afternoon and return for more after dinner in the evening.

There are 200 pairs of skates available to rent for $3 per day or bring your own. Socks are required to rent skates. Skaters who forget can buy a pair for $1. Rollerblades are also allowed, but there are no rollerblade rentals. Helmets can be rented with an ID deposit.

An artist rendering of the Howard Commons Activity Complex shows the biergarten, left, and pavilion, right. The public amenities, built between Elm Tree Hill and Howard Commons in Howard, will open on Tuesday.
An artist rendering of the Howard Commons Activity Complex shows the biergarten, left, and pavilion, right. The public amenities, built between Elm Tree Hill and Howard Commons in Howard, will open on Tuesday.

Local beers and wines will be poured at Howard Commons Biergarten

The biergarten is open 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (the same days the rink is open).

Ten craft beers from Cocoon, Gnarly Cedar, Ahnapee, Zambaldi, Stillmank, Titletown and Station 1 breweries will be on tap. There will also be 10 local wines from Ledgestone, Duck Creek and Mona Rose wineries. Non-alcoholic beverages will also be sold.

To decrease waste, all alcoholic beverages will be served in a pre-purchased glass. The first drink will cost $8, including the glass. Visitors are asked to keep their glass and bring it with them to receive a $2 discount on all refills.

Some snacks will be available for purchase. Food trucks have been invited to join the biergarten on select nights.

There's a children's splash pad/water feature

The splash pad runs on a timer from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in August. At 8 p.m., it becomes a water feature and stays on continuously until 10 p.m.

The new Howard Commons Activity Complex opens to the public on Tuesday.
The new Howard Commons Activity Complex opens to the public on Tuesday.

Can I come visit even on days the rink and biergarten aren't open?

You bet. The majority of the space is outdoors, so visitors are welcome to come any day.

“Find a place to read a book. Curl up on the super cool lounging rocks by the splash pad,” Martinson said. “There is gorgeous LED lighting at night that really adds a lot of ambiance to the complex.”

The green space Martinson said they’re lovingly calling “The Great Lawn” is lush but does not have permanent seating. Visitors are welcome to bring their own blanket or lawn chair. There are 32 varieties of plants, trees and shrubs on the grounds.

What's planned for the soft opening this week?

  • Tuesday: roller skating, noon-9 p.m.; biergarten, 4-9 p.m.

  • Wednesday: biergarten, 4-9 p.m.; free showing of the movie "Family Camp" at the amphitheater, 8-9:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs or blankets)

  • Thursday: roller skating, noon-4:30 p.m.; biergarten, 4-9 p.m.; music by CK Siblings, 5-8 p.m.

  • Friday: roller skating, noon-9 p.m.; biergarten, 4-9 p.m.

  • Saturday: roller skating, noon-9 p.m.; biergarten, noon-9 p.m.

  • Sunday: roller skating, noon-5 p.m.; biergarten, noon-5 p.m.

Where's the best place to get updates on hours and upcoming fun?

Visit facebook.com/HowardCommonsActivityComplex or villageofhoward.com/428/Howard-Commons-Activity-Complex.

Planning for events in 2024 is already underway, Martinson said.

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Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or kmeinert@greenbay.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KendraMeinert. 

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: New Howard Commons roller skating rink, biergarten open Tuesday