DAPHNE, Ala. — Hot Wheels Skate Center in Daphne will host a 30th anniversary bash from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

The party will celebrate the skating rink’s 30th year in Baldwin County and is meant as an appreciation to residents for supporting the establishment the past three decades.

“We want to show (residents) a good time, and also show a token of our appreciation,” Daphne resident and skate center co-owner Terry Eady said. “It’s an all-ages event, but we’re pushing for moms and dads to come out, too.”

The skate center invites all residents to attend; admission is free and there will be food and drinks available. However, attendees must rent skates. Door prizes have been donated by local businesses for the occasion.

The official 30th anniversary was Wednesday.

“We couldn’t do it on a Wednesday night, because we’re doing a big party for the state D.A.R.E. representative Russell Beason,” Eaton said earlier this week. “We do a lot for the schools. We have a big school program.”

About 15 local schools occasionally come to the skate center for physical-education class, and the skate center charges $4 to $5 per student’s admission and skate rentals, Eady said. The skate center then gives the money back to the school.

“We donate the money back to the school,” Eady said. “I never even touch it. The schools keep it. They use it for supplies and stuff.”

Robert and Ronnie Jones opened the skating center in 1980, calling it the Spanish Roller Skate Center; Eady and his wife Jennifer, the fourth owners, took over operations around three years ago.

“My biggest thing is we do a lot for the community, and that’s why we’re still here,” he said. “When I bought it, (the rink) just opened on weekends. We do a little bit of everything. We’ve done a lot of remodeling since we’ve been here. We’ve put in new games and stuff, so in turn we want people to have a good family experience (tomorrow).”

Eady said he’s been in the skating business his entire life, from playing roller-skating hockey as a child to the Hot Wheels Skate Center being the third roller-skating center he’s owned.

“Growing up, everybody skated,” he said. “It’s the biggest calorie burner that you can do. It burns 650 calories an hour.”

The skate center plans for its event to be a big one, and it serves as a “thank you” to the local community.

“Great area; great people,” Eady said. “We’re pulling all the stops on this skate party …. We want people to look at this as the biggest birthday party you will ever go to.”

For more information, call 626-5120.