OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark is rolling out an outdoor ice rink, a sprawling Holiday Village and its first-ever tree-lighting ceremony as part of a new holiday lineup running from Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve. The Oklahoma City resort's 2026 holiday season begins with a Thanksgiving buffet November 26; the rink, the village and a 7:30 p.m. tree lighting featuring a choir performance all happen November 28.
According to News 9, the ice skating rink will open November 28 and then run every Saturday in December from 1 to 9 p.m. on the resort's Event Lawn, a schedule confirmed on OKANA's own Merry Saturdays page. The Holiday Village opens that same night from 5 to 9 p.m. and then returns on Saturdays throughout December during the same evening hours, per the station's report.
The Holiday Village is billed as a festive market with more than 30 local vendors, live music, food, family activities and visits with Santa Claus, the station notes. OKANA's own event page describes the village similarly, pointing to a holiday market filled with local vendors and activities for kids and families. The resort sits at 639 First Americans Blvd. in Oklahoma City, according to OKANA's Holiday Village page.
Santa Visits, Gingerbread Houses and Story Time Round Out December
Beyond the rink and the market, OKANA is packing its Jack Rabbit venue with family programming throughout December. Breakfast with Santa is scheduled for December 5, 12 and 19 from 8 to 11 a.m., while gingerbread-house decorating is also part of the lineup. Santa and Mrs. Claus photo sessions are set for the same three Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and that activity is explicitly open to hotel guests and the public.
Holiday story time rounds out the lineup, happening every Friday and Saturday in December from 8 to 9 p.m. in the resort's lobby, per the same account. News 9 reports that OKANA's holiday programming overall is available to both hotel guests and the general public, with reservations and event details available at okanaresort.com or by calling 800-547-3928.
Thanksgiving Buffet and a Gatsby-Themed New Year's Eve
The holiday run begins before the rink even opens, with a Thanksgiving buffet on November 26 featuring adult tickets starting at $75, according to the station's report. OKANA will also offer a Christmas buffet as part of its seasonal dining lineup, the outlet notes.
New Year's Eve gets its own standalone celebration: a Gatsby-themed party capped by a midnight drone show over OKANA Beach. Party tickets alone cost $39.99, while an adult buffet dinner priced at $99 includes admission to the New Year's Eve party, per News 9's reporting.
How OKANA Stacks Up Against Other OKC Rinks
OKANA isn't the only outdoor ice option in town this winter. The Devon Ice Rink at Myriad Botanical Gardens is opening for its 15th season, running November 13, 2026, through January 31, 2027, as The Journal Record reports, part of the Downtown in December series that began in 2002 and has grown into a citywide holiday tradition. Downtown in December's own site describes 5,500 square feet of real ice and lists admission at $12 per person for visitors bringing their own skates, while The Journal Record reports that same bring-your-own-skates admission at $11, with skate rental pushing the total to $16.
Across town, OAK's outdoor rink at Heartwood Park is scheduled to run from November 12 through January 17, according to OAK. That rink stays open on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, though OAK says it will close during inclement weather.
