Here's a quick roundup of events and places where you can show your love.
5. Check out the snake run at Arvada Skate Park Today's best and biggest event is likely to be the Square State Skate event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the new Arvada Skatepark at 13150 W 72nd Avenue -- Westword's Best of Denver 2012 Best Skate Park Winner -- presented in partnership with Arvada's Community Skate & Snow and the MRKT Skate Shop in Fort Collins.
"It's going to be a big' ol skate session and barbecue," says Square State Skate founder Brian Ball, who also organizes the summer skate camp program at the Arvada park. "Come out and join us!"
Be sure to bring some canned goods or extra clothing while you're at it: "We have organized a Relief Drive -- clothing, canned goods, whatever -- for the victims of the High Park Fire near Ft. Collins," says Ball. "Anything that gets donated will be brought to the Little Poudre Family Clinic, which is conducting its own clothing drive and has agreed to take our donations. The guys from the MRKT shop will also be collecting clothes at their event at the Northside Skatepark in Fort Collins."
4. Buy local We can recommend a number of local skate shops, including the ones mentioned above as well as 303 Boards, The Denver Shop, Emage, and TS Board Shop here in Denver, Crisis Skateboards in Broomfield, and Satellite Board Shop and Meta Skateboards in Boulder."If you're looking to support local companies as well as local shops, we like the decks and wheels from Boulder-based Null Skateboards," says Meta Skateboards owner Sam Hines. "Other cool local companies worth checking out include No Love Skateboarding, Conspiracy Skateboards and Voyage Skateboard Co.. And on the longboard front the two big local companies are Never Summer in Denver and Venom, a Boulder company that makes bushings and wheels. There's also Seismic Skate Systems, another Boulder company, that makes trucks, wheels, and some boards."
3. Run wild in the streets Massive group skates have become a hallmark of Go Skateboarding Day celebrations around the world, but in Denver this year they'll be a bit underground if they're happening at all: In the past these events have been known to get a bit out of hand, which is why 303 Boards and other local shops have been scaling back their Go Skateboarding Day organizing in favor of mellower celebrations. If you're looking for a crowd to skate with en masse, try the meetup at Civic Center Park at noon; the swarm will be pointing from there towards the Denver Skatepark around 1 p.m., then on to the 303 Boards' Best Trick contest on the 4-stair set at Confluence Park at 3:03 p.m. First prize gets -- you guessed it -- $303.
2. Thumb through 4 Skateboarding Copies of the freebie first issue of Dean Barnes' new "No Coast Skateboarding" print magazine 4 Skateboarding hit local shops earlier this month and a .pdf version is online now at www.FourSkateboarding.com, featuring stunning photography and contributions from many of the local scene's biggest movers and shakers, including Glen Gillingam, Jeremy Frankovis, and Carleigh Samson.Among the interesting reads in the first issue is a "Worst of Westword" rant from Josh Murphy, quibbling with our Best of Denver 2012 picks for Best Skate Park (Arvada Skatepark), Best Skateboarder (Julian Christianson), and Best Skate Video (Bucky O'Connell's It's Always Sunny in Colorado), and with the "Best Of" premise in general.
"The problem with these awards, particularly 'Best Skateboarder' and 'Best Skateboard Video,' is that there hasn't been, nor will there ever be, a 'Best Skateboarder' or 'Best Skateboard Video' in Denver," writes Murphy. "These titles are completely irrelevant to anyone who actually skateboards. There are so many different styles of skateboarders, and such a variety in the filming and editing of videos, that deciding who is the best is impossible. Deciding the best skateboarder in Denver is the equivalent of deciding the best flavor of ice cream. The topic is entirely subjective." Touché.
1. Go skateboarding The GoSkateboardingDay.org website is promoting several additional Colorado events, including a BBQ and High Ollie contest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at South Pool Skate Park in Superior and a 6 p.m. BBQ at 720 Boardshop in Castle Rock, and it's a pretty safe bet there will be a crowd at just about every skate park in the state today. But, in the true spirit of Go Skateboarding Day, your best bet is simply to put wheels to pavement wherever you are and go for it. Then do it again tomorrow, and every day. Enjoy!Follow us on Twitter!
