Go Skate Day is celebrated internationally on 21st June, and this year Kilkenny Skate Park decided to mark the occasion by hosting their very own competition in the new skate park on Sunday 27 June.
All images: Danny Lahart
Renamed Go Skate Day in 2004, the original event called Go Skateboarding Day, started in the USA. It’s an annual event organised by the International Association of Skateboard Companies but grew from the All Star City Skate Jam held by Kerel “Srikala” Roach and Bryan Chin in 2002 in New York City. Promoting skateboarding accessibility was the reason Go Skate Day was founded, and for this reason, the longest day of the year was chosen to celebrate. The day quickly became an international event with many skate companies and skate shops sponsoring local events around the globe.
In Kilkenny, organisers felt the event should definitely be marked especially as we now have our very own skate park in the Abbey Quarter. It was a sunny day and lots came down to get involved with the various events organised. There was a mini-ramp competition, boys and girls kids competitions, street skate, flatland and a massive game of SKATE (a similar concept to DONKEY) which rounded up the day nicely. It was a great day and the amount of people who showed up and got involved shows there is a real appetite for the sport in Kilkenny. Organisers hope it will become an annual event.
