NATCHEZ — Inexperience did not stop locals from lacing up a pair of skates and testing their skills on ice at the ice-skating rink on the bluff Saturday.

Cooper Murray, 13, ice-skated for the first time Saturday.

“It’s really fun, it’s really hard, too,” he said. “But it is kind of fun falling.”

Murray said he had seen several people fall down at the rink Saturday.

“It’s really funny to fall and to watch people fall,” he said giggling.

Murray said the best way to avoid getting hurt on the ice was to stay near the rails.

“If you start to fall down go to the side,” he said pointing at the white rails that enclosed the rink. “If you can’t make it, try to fall slowly. It won’t hurt as bad.”

Murray’s 10-year-old brother Conner and 7-year-old sister Hannah also enjoyed gliding — and falling — on the ice.

“It’s fun when you fall and start sliding across the ice,” Conner said.

Cooper and Conner both said they were having the most fun pushing each other down on the ice.

Hannah said she got a “boo-boo” while skating, but that did not stop her from the skating fun.

“I hurt my hand on the skate,” she said holding two fingers wrapped in Band-Aids. “It doesn’t hurt, though. I’m still having fun.”

Cooper said he really hopes the ice-skating rink will be back next Christmas.

“Maybe next year it will be bigger so we won’t be so crowded,” Cooper said. “But I really hope they bring it back.”

A group of Cathedral Elementary School friends also made a trip to the ice-skating rink.

Sami Dulam, Taylor Baroni, Annalyce Riley, Sophie Webber, Anna Katherine McDonough, Miah Wheeler, Waleska Carrasco and Allie Feltus all said they enjoyed skating and helping each other.

“We’ve all been trying to help each other,” Feltus said. “It’s been a really cool experience. It’s been really fun learning to skate.”

Nicole and Russ McSwane brought their 9-year-old daughter, Emma, and 4-year-old son, Ethan, skating for the first time.

Emma said she had fallen a few times on the ice, but she said it was too fun to stop skating.

“I’ve been holding onto to the rails so I don’t fall so much,” she said. “It’s really hard when you fall, but it’s so fun.”

Nicole said she was glad to share one of her favorite childhood activities with her children.

“It’s something we did when we were little,” she said. “I’m glad it’s finally come to Natchez.”

The ice-skating rink is open today from noon until 5 p.m. Tickets are $15 for 30 minutes of skating.