Roller discos are making a comeback and Lethbridge is no exception. Roller Skate Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Roller Derby Guild are teaming up to offer monthly rolling events .

The Summer Series Roller Discos will take place on the last Friday of the month at the Lethbridge Curling Club from April to July. 

“We’re so happy the curling club is welcoming us back. The venue is huge and there’s lots of room to skate. It’s a great place to experience your first roller disco,” says Martina Emard, who is board chair of the Lethbridge Roller Derby Guild and owner of Roller Skate Lethbridge.

The first roller disco is Friday, April 29 from 7:30 to 9:45 p.m. Additional discos take place on the last Friday of the month until July. Proceeds of the summer series roller discos will go toward Lethbridge Roller Derby Guild junior and adult programs.

If community members don’t have a pair of roller skates or inlines, organizers will be providing roller skate loans for free. They can reserve their size in advance or find their size from the drop-in loaner skates. 

According to Emard, demand for the loaner skates is high. But more locals are investing in their own roller skates and adopting it as a hobby.

“Lethbridge has a bigger rollerskating community than you’d expect. Many skaters started during the pandemic lockdowns. It’s a great way to stay in shape, enjoy the outdoors and spend time with friends.”

The pop-up roller disco model isn’t new. Roller Skate Lethbridge has been hosting smaller monthly skate parties since October of 2021. Groups in Calgary, Red Deer and Cranbrook have also started their own pop-up events to take advantage of rollerskating’s rise in popularity. 

For more information about the Lethbridge’s Summer Series Roller Disco, visit Roller Skate Lethbridge’s website at www.rollerskatelethbridge.ca and the Lethbridge Roller Derby Guild at www.lethbridgerollerderby.ca.

Photo by Cassandra Navratil, Salt + Birch Photography