Go Skateboarding Day: June 21, 2009

Go Skateboarding Day: June 21, 2009

Annual Go Skateboarding Day

Date: June 21, every year
Location: All over the world!

What’s Go Skateboarding Day?

On June 21 skateboarders around the world will celebrate the fun, creativity and spirit of one of the coolest and most popular activities in the world by going skateboarding. So blow off your TV, computer and video games and go skateboarding!

Skateboarders everywhere will show their love and support for skateboarding by holding fundraisers, contests and demos. They’ll skate across cities, gather in skate parks and stream into their local skate shops to bring the skateboarding community together in a grind that’s sure to be heard around the world.

The History Of Go Skateboarding Day

Held on June 21 every year, Go Skateboarding Day is the official holiday of skateboarding. It started on June 21, 2003 with a few simple skate sessions and BBQs in skateboarding’s unofficial capital, southern California, as an excuse for skateboarders to make skateboarding their top priority for one full day. It was also meant to be a day for skateboarders to have fun, raise awareness about the issues we face, show the world what skateboarding is really all about, reclaim their culture and define skateboarding as the rebellious, creative celebration of independence it continues to be. In the years since that first celebration, the holiday continues to grow, but the mission remains the same: Have fun, go skateboarding!

Go Skateboarding Day was founded by the International Association of Skateboard Companies, who wanted to give pro and amateur skaters the chance to drop everything and get on a skateboard. Today, skateboard retailers, manufacturers, skate parks, distributors, organizations and individuals hold skateboarding events to celebrate the holiday. Skateboarders around the world create their own events and traditions to celebrate skateboarding. You should, too!

Find Out More

For more info about Go Skateboarding Day, and to find out what’s happening in your city or town in celebration of the event, visit www.goskateboardingday.org.

Thousands Of Events!

TODAY skateboarders across the country and worldwide will be celebrating the 6th Annual International Go Skateboarding Day (GSD). Thousands of events are planned, but anyone can join in, by simply going skateboarding. The official website at www.goskateboardingday.org lists thousands of events across the country and worldwide. Highlights of the day include the following.

ERGO will be celebrating alongside friends and team riders including Andrew Cannon, Shawn Hale and Tom Geilfuss at the Chula Vista Skatepark in Chula Vista, Calif. They'll have a few hundred dollars to give away in a "best trick" contest, tons of product giveaways and will also be hosting a free BBQ. Visit www.ergophobia.com.

The etnies Pro Skate team will be joining more than 500 local skateboarders in Kansas City, MI for a BBQ, benefit raffle and skate jam as well as a Red Bull "Best Trick" contest. Local skateboarders will be given $2,500 in a best trick contest that is judged by etnies pros. Confirmed professional skateboarders include Kansas City Pro Sean Malto, Mikey Taylor, Kyle Leeper, Devine Calloway and Jose Rojo. Visit www.etniesskate.com.

Emerica's Wild in the Streets main event is going international for the first time. The Emerica team will be heading up to Vancouver, BC, Canada to celebrate this year. The event will benefit LeeSide, the underground DIY skatepark that Vancouver skateboarder and artist Lee Matasi envisioned and began creating before his untimely death. Visit www.emericawildinthestreets.com.

Electric Moustache Gallery in Winston-Salem, NC will be hosting the opening reception of Bluetan's "Idioms of Grief" art exhibition-a collection of paintings and photographs by skateboarders/artists Joseph O'Neal, Brandon Fonville, Geoff Henshall, Steve Chellis and others. The event is free to the public and starts at 7pm. Visit www.bluetan.com/idioms.html.

Element will be hosting skate jams, BBQ's and flatbar contests in eight different cities around the country, including Mililani, HI, Covina, Calif., Santa Cruz, Calif., Roseville, Calif, Longmont, CO, San Antonio, TX, Ocean City, MD and San Juan, PR. Visit www.elementskateboards.com/events/GSD-2009.

Globe team riders Mark Appleyard, Jake Duncombe, Ryan Decenzo, Terell Robinson, Louie Lopez, Adam Dyet and others will be signing autographs and rolling at the Venice Skate Park in Venice Beach, Calif. They'll also be cash prizes for "best tricks" and tons of free giveaways. Visit www.globe.tv/us/skate/news/.

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