When you close your eyes, can you still see the colored strobe lights revolving like a lava lamp across the walls of the arena during that 7th-grade roller-rink birthday party? Can you hear the static-y announcement of “Couples skate!” reverberate through the opening strains of George Michael’s “Careless Whispers?” Can you picture the boys and girls covertly eyeballing their crushes while pretending they don’t care whether they skate that song or not? Ah, the good old days. Turns out the good old days aren’t actually that old. You can find them alive and rolling at Southgate Roller Rink in White Center, on 17th Ave. SW.
Kids roller skating together at Southgate Roller Rink
If your skating ability is moderate, or perhaps just waking up from a nap since the ’80s, you can pop into any of the open or family skate sessions, lace up your rental skates, and roll around their polished hardwood rink. Current pop mixes with old skating classics for some spirited background music, and the hours keep rolling smoothly by with intermittent MC calls for Speed Skate, the Hokey-Pokey, the Limbo, Red Light Green Light, Crazy Trios and, yes, Couples Skate.
From family skate to junior and adult roller derby, and from birthday parties to Skate-a-raoke (yes, roller skating and karaoke—could anything be better?), the rink is open six days a week with something for everyone. Skate rental is free with admission; skates come in sizes as small as toddler 8. An all-ages, all-abilities skate class is offered Sunday mornings, in case you need to refresh your crossovers and cannonballs or simply learn to stand on wheels. Now assume your best “Shoot the Duck” and roll on over.
Family Skate hours: Friday’s from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Saturday’s from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm and Sunday’s from 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm.
Interested in fiestier roller fun? Check out Seattle’s Derby Brat’s!
