How the National Park Service keeps skating in Washington, D.C. fun, safe and open to all

A young boy holds out his sneaker to show his shoe size to smiling National Park Service Ranger Hunter Baldridge at the skate rental booth at Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion in Washington, D.C., on June 28, 2025.

NPS / Gabby Napolitano

Can you remember the last time you laced up a pair of roller skates? In Washington, D.C.’s Anacostia Park (a national park), roller skating isn’t just a hobby— it’s a full-blown tradition with deep local roots. In 1976— during America’s Bicentennial— the National Park Service (NPS) built something exhilarating— the Anacostia Roller Skating Pavilion. Architect Colden “Coke” Florence designed it as a modern twist on a classic Washington landmark, calling it “a classical temple in a green setting.”

A reporter at the time had a more colorful take, calling it “a giant jukebox playing music to skate by.” Either way, it was —and still is— a place to skate in style!

The pavilion was born in a time of disco balls, bell bottoms and Bicentennial pride,” said NPS National Capital Parks — East Program Manager for Visitor Services Vincent Vaise. “The Jackson Five were topping the charts, roller skating was everywhere and groups like the Anacostia Rollers were putting on physics-defying shows right here.”

And the fun never stopped. Today, the pavilion is still the only roller-skating rink in the entire National Park Service— and it’s the place to cruise, groove and connect. Whether you’re skating backwards like a boss or clinging to the rail, you are part of something bigger, said Vaise.

Children hold hands as they roller skate around the rink at Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion during the park’s Late Skate program in Washington, D.C., on June 28, 2025.

NPS / Gabby Napolitano

The pavilion is a place where families gather, neighbors reconnect and strangers become friends. It’s a space built for the community— a reminder that parks are not only places for recreation, but anchors for belonging.

Late Skate: A Local Tradition

The pavilion was built with night skating in mind and includes floodlights that illuminate the skating floor. In the 1970s, muscle cars lined the road to the pavilion. Today, the smell of barbecue and the quintessential DC half-smoke wafts across the grassy fields as hundreds of people gather on the last Saturday of the month from June to October. Every Late Skate features free skate rentals (just provide an ID), live DJs or bands, dancing, games and community activities. Everything— often even boat rides— is free! Families arrive with lawn chairs. Friends share delicious food. Fishing poles cast into the river and kids race to the beat of go-go music as dusk settles over Anacostia Park.

Lenny Webb smiles at his four young children as they take a water break on the steps of the rink at Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion in Washington, D.C. One of his daughters rests her hands on his shoulders.

NPS / Gabby Napolitano

A pavilion with purpose

The Pavilion opened in 1976 as the “Bicentennial Pavilion,” following years of public input that shaped the design of Anacostia Park itself. An airy structure— with its soaring roof, curved walls and open layout— the pavilion welcomes movement, music and community. Managed by the NPS National Capital Parks — East, the pavilion remains one of Washington D.C.’s most unique gathering spaces. For Lenny Webb, a local dad and lifelong visitor, the value is generational.

“I used to skate here when I was their age,” Webb said, gesturing to his four young kids, all under age 10. “There aren’t many places to go to at night in DC that are free and fun for families with young children. This national park is our backyard. You just feel good when you’re here."

Kenneth “Rollo” Davis, a longtime skating mentor and performer, agrees.

“Skating, mentoring— it’s what I love,” said Davis, who’s been coming to the pavilion since the 1980s. “My mentor, Ronald McNair— the Black astronaut who died in the Challenger explosion— he was like a father to me. When he died, I was 17. I spiraled into addiction, but God and roller skating brought me back.”

Today, Davis volunteers, teaches roller skating and still performs on wheels.

Kenneth ”Rollo” Davis, left, shows off his moves as he dances to music played by DJs alongside a group of roller skaters at Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion in Washington, D.C., on June 28, 2025

NPS / Gabby Napolitano

“I’ve been on America’s Got Talent, met presidents and I’ve got a documentary out, but more than anything, I love helping people believe in themselves and their capacity to skate. This skating rink is about friendship and community in a safe environment. I'm worried about the pavilion’s condition though. I want to make sure it’s well maintained forever. I really want to see continued improvements so it can last for many more generations. Skating isn’t just about recreation— it’s community and resilience,” he said.

Lydia Daniel, Director of Operations at Friends of Anacostia Park, puts it best:

“We aren’t doing something wildly different here— this isn’t a big festival or a flashy event. It’s simply consistent, culturally relevant programming in a space that’s open, safe and accessible to the people who live here and enjoy the park routinely. Late Skate offers more than exercise and fun. It’s where neighbors reconnect. Where kids without access to backyards can move, laugh and play. Come breathe in the fresh air and be at peace. All are welcome here.”

Lydia Daniel smiles for a photo while wearing a light green Friends of Anacostia Park T-shirt on the steps of the rink at Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion in Washington, D.C., on June 28, 2025.

NPS / Gabby Napolitano

The event also showcases a beautiful, clean and safe public space in the nation’s capital— a place where residents and visitors alike can feel welcome, joyful and at ease.

Friends of Anacostia Park work year-round to offer programs that promote wellness, environmental education and community connection.

More than a skating rink

Anacostia Park stretches more than five miles along the Anacostia River and covers more than 1,200 acres of green space in the heart of Washington, D.C. It offers baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts, picnic areas, trails and river access for fishing and boating. It’s also home to historic landmarks like the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and Langston Golf Course.

“Anacostia Park is where history and everyday life meet,” said Vaise. “Frederick Douglass walked these grounds— a man who triumphed over slavery and became one of America’s most powerful voices for freedom and equality. Nearby, John Philip Sousa, the ‘March King,’ stirred national pride with his patriotic music. Even John Wilkes Booth, infamous for assassinating President Lincoln, passed through this area. These figures— each in their own way— shaped the course of American history. And today, Anacostia Park has a relaxed, neighborhood feel. It’s alive— with people skating, fishing and picnicking.”

National Park Service Special Events Manager Julie Kutruff chats with two girls about writing thank-you letters to servicemembers and veterans during Late Skate at Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion in Washington, D.C., on June 28, 2025.

NPS / Gabby Napolitano

“Every skate rental, every fishing line in the water, every song played over the pavilion speakers is part of a bigger story: that parks matter, and they’re for everyone. We’re proud to be part of it,” said National Capital Parks – East Special Events Manager Julie Kutruff.

Plan Your Visit: 2025 Late Skate Dates

Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion
1500 Anacostia Drive SE, Washington, D.C. 20020
12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 28
Saturday, July 26
Saturday, August 23
Saturday, September 27
Saturday, October 25

Whether you're skating for the first time or the hundredth, come experience the joy of motion, music and community connection at Anacostia Park. It’s more than a skating pavilion— it’s a celebration of what public spaces can be when we care for them and each other, said Kutruff.