The Torrens riverbank precinct is set to overflow with wannabe Torvills, Deans and Charlie Conways when the most objectively cool pop-up to hit Adelaide arrives next week.

As the past week has proved, Adelaide weather has no problem with flirting with icy temperatures usually reserved for north of The Wall. But aside from a few sad blankets of snow in the hills, we’re rarely able to experience the same whimsical pleasures our Northern Hemisphere counterparts enjoy like tobogganing, school snow days and skating on frozen bodies of water.

Until now that is, with the State Government stepping in to do what all good governments should: provide citizens with a glorious metropolitan skating rink upon which to glide and twirl to their heart’s content. Renewal SA and the Riverbank Authority’s joint venture Winterlicious will run for a fortnight from Monday July 27, with an undercover ice rink surrounded by toasty log fire pits and abundant mulled wine.

Basically this.

It’s the latest chapter in Adelaide’s on-off relationship with inner city skating rinks, with The Glaciarium briefly bringing icy good times and awkwardly racist fancy dress parties to Hindley Street all the way back in 1905 and another rink also opening off Hindley in the 1960s. Since then we’ve seen Rundle Mall sporadically open rinks for the school holidays, and while Mount Thebarton Snow Dome continues to fly the flag to the West there’s something magical about grabbing a cheeky post-work pirouette while you wait for the bus on King William Street.

So basically this, but without the blackface. How wholesome!

via State Library of South Australia

Winterlicious hits Elder Park from Monday July 27 to Sunday August 9 for details head to riverbank.sa.gov.au