There is a moment, somewhere between lacing up your skates and hitting that first smooth stretch of hardwood, when the rest of the week simply dissolves. I found that moment at Five Star Event Center on Aurora’s east side, and I have been quietly recommending it to anyone who will listen ever since.
Five Star sits along a commercial corridor that most people drive past without a second glance. That is their loss. Inside, the place opens up into a surprisingly spacious rink floor, anchored by a sound system that actually fills the room and a lighting rig that does the whole disco-ball-and-colored-wash thing with genuine enthusiasm. It sounds like a throwback — and it is, in the best possible way — but Five Star has kept the experience sharp enough that it never feels tired or rundown. The floors are well-maintained, the rental skates are in solid condition, and the staff keeps things moving without being overbearing.
What I appreciate most is how completely unpretentious the whole operation is. There is no velvet rope, no complicated ticketing system, no pressure to upgrade anything. You show up, you pay a reasonable admission, you skate. Families with young kids in double-bladed learner skates share the floor with teenagers who have clearly been skating since they could walk, and somehow everybody figures out how to coexist gracefully. That social mix — the genuine community-rink feel — is rarer than you would think in 2024, and Five Star has held onto it.
Friday and Saturday evenings are when the energy peaks. The music gets louder, the lights go lower, and the rink takes on the unmistakable atmosphere of a proper skate night. If you grew up going to a roller rink in the 1980s or 90s, this will feel like a warm, slightly glittery memory made real again. If you never had that experience, consider this your long-overdue introduction.
Five Star also does private events — birthday parties in particular — and they handle them well. The party rooms are functional and cheerful, the packages are straightforward, and the kids always leave exhausted in that satisfyingly active way that parents quietly celebrate. It is the kind of venue that earns genuine repeat business because it delivers exactly what it promises without drama or disappointment.
For a casual weeknight visit, arrive about fifteen minutes before the session starts to get your skates sorted without the queue. Wear comfortable socks — bring a fresh pair if you can — and leave the dress shoes in the car. Once you are out on that floor and the music picks up, you will wonder why you waited this long to come back to skating. Aurora has plenty of worthy attractions, but Five Star has a particular warmth that is genuinely hard to replicate. Give it an evening. You will not regret it.
