“I couldn’t miss the opportunity. All my kids have skated here. It’s one of my favorite traditions. You meet a lot of nice people,” said Kenneth Leavitt, who was visiting his old hometown of Boston for Thanksgiving.

The rink, which opened Thursday morning, was gleaming white in the shadow of the State House as twinkling lights adorned the surrounding trees.

The Boston Common Frog Pond opened for the holiday season Thursday as locals and visitors flocked to the ice skating rink to partake in one of Boston’s most beloved traditions.

The first skater on the rink this season was VJ Ibones of Miami. He decided to take a spin on the ice before heading to the airport.


“I felt like a little a kid. I’m about to turn 29 years old. But being on there, I felt like a little kid. You feel the holiday season here,” Ibones said.

Roymaar Deli, 4, held her mother’s hand as she gingerly stepped onto the rink in a bright yellow jacket.

“She’s very excited. She’s 4 years old and just started skating three months ago. We get to drink coffee outside and watch our daughter skate,” said Roymaar’s father, Edmond Deli of Brookline.

Frog Pond will be open until March. Skaters received free admission Thursday. Admission is $6, but it is free for anyone shorter than 4 feet 10 inches tall. The Frog Pond opens at 10 a.m. every day and closes at 10 p.m. on weekends and 9 p.m. most weekdays.

The pond has been an important part of Boston Common since the park was established in 1634, according to the city’s website. The pond originally was a watering hole for cattle that grazed on the Common.

In later years, the pond became a seasonal swimming hole and skating rink until it was replaced with a spray pool in the 1970s. And, in 1996, Frog Pond officially opened as the ice rink Bostonians know and love. It is managed by The Skating Club of Boston in partnership with the city.


Globe Correspondent Maria Lovato contributed to this report. Alyssa Lukpat can be reached at alyssa.lukpat@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlyssaLukpat.