Floating ice rink - Kingsday Dokkum, The Netherlands

For King’s Day 2026, the municipality of Dokkum conceived the idea of ​​bringing the famous turning point of the Elfstedentocht to life. On the Kleindiep, 1986 is revived—the year W.A. van Buren skated the Elfstedentocht, a moment where past and present converge.

Ice-World was approached to translate this idea technically and practically into a feasible project. From the very first plans, feasibility, location, and preconditions were considered.

In collaboration with the parties involved, the plan was developed step by step, requiring close coordination between logistics, construction, and cooling technology. Building an ice rink on open water requires a completely different approach than a standard ice rink installation.

Why Ice-World?

For ice projects where timing, quality and execution are critical, experience makes the difference.

At Ice-World, we support every project from the earliest preparation stages through to final delivery. By combining technical expertise with careful planning and attention throughout every phase of the process, we help clients realise projects where every detail matters. Although preparations had already started behind the scenes, final approval for the project was received only a few weeks before installation. This meant that engineering, logistical planning and on-site preparation had to come together within a very limited timeframe, while maintaining the same focus on quality throughout every phase of the project.

Creating an ice rink on water

The ice rink is being constructed on a floating pontoon structure with a surface area of ​​approximately 500 m². On this base, the technical installations and the ice floor are being built up step by step.

Building on water requires a different approach than a standard temporary ice rink. Stability, weight distribution, and the coordination of the technical installations play an important role in this. From the very first construction phase, the foundation must be completely sound to enable the subsequent process.

For this project, a cooling system is being used in which glycol flows through the installation. Ice chips are applied to our system, which are then misted with water. In this way, the ice floor is built up layer by layer to a total ice thickness of approximately 7 centimeters. It is precisely this phased construction that requires precise coordination in technology and execution.

The combination of construction, cooling technology, and ice build-up creates a temporary ice rink specifically realized for this special moment in Dokkum, where the famous turning point of the Elfstedentocht is being recreated.