Ever since Canadian-based developer Westbank installed a towering art sculpture in a parking lot in downtown San Jose in 2021, it’s been a point of curiosity for passersby. What was it? An event space or maybe a skateboard park? That it was locked behind chain-link fencing and rarely open to the public only amped up the mystery.

Now, we have an answer: It’s the trippiest roller rink in the West.

Welcome to Unzipped Gardens Roller Rink and Beer Garden, a temporary activation for the venue that’ll be open weekends starting this Friday and running through Memorial Day. Visitors can rent skates, enjoy brews and food-truck bites or just take in the scene. There’ll be music — mostly provided by DJs but sometimes by live bands — and a dedicated selfie-spot.

Best of all, the chain-link fences will be coming down soon — replaced by a permanent fence that’s certainly a more elegant way to keep the installation safe.

Rick Garcia, the South Bay manager for event producer Non Plus Ultra, says the goal has been to create a community hub that adds to the vibe on South First Street. “If we spread that foot traffic to other businesses, it’s a win-win,” Garcia said. “We want to really celebrate the SoFA district.”

The interior of the art installation at Unzipped Gardens, with a patterned surface that will eventually be open to roller skaters. The temporary roller rink and beer garden in downtown San Jose will be open from Feb. 7, 2025 through Memorial Day weekend. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group) 

That should be good news for places like Anno Domini gallery, the popular Nirvana Soul cafe, SoFA Market and even venerable Original Joe’s.

By the way, the name stems from the installation’s title, or at least one of them. Originally designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group for the Serpentine Galleries in London, it’s been known as the Serpentine Pavilion, Unzipped (when it was in Toronto) and the Unzipped Pavilion and Unzipped Wall in San Jose. It’s made of more than 1,800 stacked fiberglass frames, with a cavern-like space in the middle. It’s been the centerpiece of events for Cinequest, San Jose Jazz and the Urban Vibrancy Institute’s SoFA district block party.

San Francisco-based events group Non Plus Ultra is partnering with Westbank, Urban Vibrancy Institute and Tailored by Design on the effort, which has come together in just a few weeks. The current schedule is to be open Fridays from 5-10 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 10 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 7 p.m. (The rink won’t be open Super Bowl Sunday, though.) Skate rental is $25 for adults and $20 for kids under 12, but there’s no charge to come in and hang out.

You can get more information and make reservations for skating times at wl.seetickets.us/UnzippedGardens.

ART AND ABOUT: Opera San Jose is getting ready to open Béla Bartók’s spooky “Bluebeard’s Castle” at the California Theatre on Feb. 15, but audiences can get a preview this week during the monthly South First Fridays art walk in downtown San Jose. Starting at 5:30 p.m., organist Jerry Nagano will play the lobby Wurlitzer. Inside the theater, audiences can hear soprano Madison Hatten and baritone Jeremiah Sanders perform selections from the show. And you can get into the vibe with temporary tattoos from Local Color inspired by “Bluebeard’s Castle,” or peer into the future with a tarot card reader.

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That’s just one of the performance-based activities happening for South First Fridays.

The MACLA gallery at 510 S. First St. will be presenting “¡AZUCAR! Cuban Cabaret” with DJ Leydis and a dance performance by Latin Bay Ashe in the Castellano Playhouse. The ICA San Jose will be screening “Missing from the Fire Trail Road,” a documentary about a Native American woman who disappeared in 2020, throughout the night. And the SJZ Break Room will showcase its youth performers, with elementary and middle school musicians from its Progressions program, its High School All-Stars U19 combo and the Michael Webster Quartet, followed by an open jam at 7.

You can get the full South First Fridays lineup at www.southfirstfridays.com.