NEDERLAND — Southeast Texans had a chance to “ice” skate minus the freezing temperatures in Nederland on Saturday.

Rubber mats covered in white fiberglass made up the skating rink where hundreds of children donned ice skates during Christmas on the Avenue along Boston Avenue.

Quinton Sheffield held hands with daughter Lyssa Sheffield, 9, of Kountz.

“It’s hard,” Lyssa Sheffield said of ice skating.

Jay Cardenas of Nederland took photos from outside the skating rink as son Jude, 5, and daughter, JC, 12, took a spin. Not far away sisters Austyn and Trinity Spain, 2, dressed in festive holiday attire, seemed to have mastered the skating. Ryann Pelter, 2, also took to the ice with the help of mom Ashley Peltier as 4-year-old Reese Peltier skated nearby.

“We come to Christmas on the Avenue every year,” Ashley Peltier said. “This is just the icing on top.”

Boston Avenue was blocked off from traffic where food booths and other vendors hawked their wares. Some families strolled the avenue with pet in tow such as Ronnie Irion whose rescue Chihuahua, Piper, was clad in holiday attire.

Cast members from Port Arthur Little Theater’s production of A Christmas Carol, dressed in character, also strolled the area spreading word of their 2:30 p.m. curtain time on Sunday.

Nederland City Manager Chris Duque and his family strolled the area taking time to ice skate and more.

“We’ve never had this (ice skating) in Nederland before,” Duque said of the new event. “I heard a lot of people in line say their kids have never ice skated before.”

LoriLens Photography was on hand inside the Home E. Nagel Public Safety Building snapping photos of kids sitting on Santa’s lap while down the street there was a petting zoo complete with chickens, turkeys, goats, a tortoise, donkeys and more.

A tree lighting ceremony complete with snow was scheduled for later in the afternoon.

E-mail: mary.meaux@panews.com

Twitter: MaryMeauxPANews