Springfield's Olympic Village begins tonight

The park's Olympic Village begins tonight and lasts through the end of February, full of exhibitions, watch parties and free skating lessons.

At 6 p.m. today, Olympic hopefuls McKinzie Daniels and Sean Hickley, Junior National skaters, will give a figure skating exhibition. Opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, will be shown at 7 p.m. while former Olympians Colleen Coyne, member of the 1998 gold medal U.S. Women's Ice Hockey team, and Lori Endicott-Vandersnick, a 1992 bronze medalist in volleyball, make guest appearances.

Also at 7, the Missouri State University hockey team will face the University of Missouri. Coyne will drop the puck and sign autographs. The teams will face off again at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Coyne will make another appearance at 12:15 p.m. Saturday to attend a skating session with the public.

Throughout the month, Jordan Valley will televise the ongoing Olympic coverage from Italy on a 20-foot television on the West Ice Rink and five other big screens throughout the facility.

Other Olympic Village events:

o 5:30 p.m. Feb. 17 - SPARC Broomball Final

o 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18 - Free movie night, showing Disney's “Miracle”

o 6 p.m. Feb. 23 - Ladies figure skating watch party

o 8 p.m. Feb. 24 - Silly Olympics, college level

o 9 a.m. Feb. 25 - Silly Olympics, youth level

o 7 p.m. Feb. 26 - Closing ceremony with free skating admission

Free hockey and figure skating lessons are available daily. Call Jordan Valley Ice Park for times.