Holiday on Wheels rolling into Lorain Skate World Thursday and Friday

LORAIN — Holiday on Wheels will return to Lorain Skate World on Thursday evening for its 10th season of Christmas cheer. Produced by longtime skating coach Mary Nendza, the show will have 40 people in it. It's something she started as a break for her students before competitions start up in the New Year, though it was originally out of Brookpark Skateland, she said. "I started it mainly so that the kids could have something a little more fun to do since they skate competitions and it's intense with all your practicing," she said. "So this way they have something a little more fun to show off in front of family and relatives locally." This is the second year for the event in Lorain, which took in many of Northeast Ohio's competitive skaters after Brookpark Skateland burned in 2018. Nendza said there are 40 people in the show, with three acts and two intermissions — giving people time to change in and out of costumes. Nendza made all 95 of the costumes, which are stuffed into makeshift dressing rooms throughout the rink. "it is a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun," she said. "The kids really enjoy it. and its nice to showcase our sport to the public when they normally may not see it." Those "kids" are of all ages. The youngest performer is 5-years-old and the oldest are in their 70s, Nendza noted. She said there is one couple from Elyria who "just live for the show," and pretty much have a dance number just for them. Nendza began skating when she was around 12-years-old, falling in love with the sport after her father took her to an open skate. From there she took lessons and went on to skate professionally. She met her husband, Dennis, skating. She has been coaching for more than 30 years and seen skaters grow up in the program. Some of those have gone on to become coaches themselves. Nendza said she is hoping to train some of the new coaches to let her ease off of it. "it's a lot of work but when you see it, and it's like it's yours and (there's) that sense of pride," she said. She added later, "Each year has gotten bigger and bigger and bigger. more acts, more scenery," she said. "I look back at the first year and it was pretty sparse, we didn't even have a curtain. so each year we've tried to up it just a little bit in that department." Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Children 5 and under are free. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 Thursday and Friday. The show is about two hours long and is open to the public. Ticket proceeds help defray competition costs, travel expenses and the props and costumes for each year's show. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit lorainskateworld.com. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.