Skateboarders across the world gathered to celebrate the Annual International Go Skateboarding Day Tuesday, June 21, which marked the ninth anniversary of this passion filled holiday. China, Afghanistan, Colombia, Brazil, and the U.S.A. are just a few among the many countries that participated in over 600 events honoring the international holiday.
With one goal in mind and one cause at hand, skateboarders gathered to share their passion, unite, celebrate the skating world, and simply have fun.
“For the past 9 years IASC has been the hub of the activity while Go Skateboarding Day has taken on a life of its own. It’s amazing to see all the ways people experience this one day in their life: having fun, skateboarding, getting together with friends, making new friends, people have dedicated facebook pages, web sites, blogs, and tons of creativity to go skateboarding day,” said Don Brown, Chairman of IASC and Vice President of Marketing of Sole Technology. “The universal ability of Go Skateboarding Day is to unite people for a cause or just for fun has been the most gratifying part for IASC. Expect big things for the 10 year anniversary of go skateboarding day!”
Numerous skateboard retailers and apparel companies such as Old Town Skate Shop in Saginaw, Michigan, No-Comply Skate Shop in Austin, Texas, the 3rd Lair Skatepark and Skateshop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Vans, Sector 9, Globe, Toy Machine and many others joined together and showed their support by hosting events or offering special discounts and giveaways.
Emerica’s skate team joined forces for the event “Wild in the Streets” and took over downtown Los Angeles to celebrate the holiday. Aimed to build community and raise the awareness of skateboarding, “Wild in the Streets” unites skateboarders focused on spreading the good that skateboarding brings. Professional skateboarders, Jerry Hsu, Andrew Reynolds and Braydon Szafranski were all spotted showing their support. All proceeds benefited Board for Bros, a charity organization that collects, refurbishes and donates used skateboards to children in need.
New York City saw thousands of skaters taking to the streets thanks to the crew at Fiveboro Skateboards. They helped organize an outstanding group of events, this time taking over spots in three of the city's five boroughs: Maloof skatepark in Flushing Queens’ Corona Park, Coleman Oval Skatepark on the lower East Side and at Brooklyn’s McCaren Park. Local Skateshop KCDC and a slew of sponsors including CCS, Volcom and Fiveboro helped throw a massive block party on the street adjoining the skatepark.
The holiday is not only a day of celebration for the sport, but also as a way to raise funds for the community and to show support for skateboarding culture and take it out of a negative light. The City of Tacoma, skateboard and snowboard shops and other local skateboarders organized Go Skate Tacoma as a way to help educate people and hopefully get rid of the negative connotations. Roots Skatepark located in Kamehameha Park in Kappau, Hawaii, held their 3rd Annual Go Skate Day Parade fundraiser with the support of Oasis Skateboard Shop to help raise funds to finish their skatepark. Ocean Beach Surf & Skate, helped raise funds for local school, Ocean Beach Elementary, to combat the drastic budget cuts they face each year.
It was not just local streets that gathered to celebrate. Since the inception of Go Skateboarding nine years ago, the international event has seen exponential growth and has reached almost every continent. Participating countries included Romania, Greece, Portugal, Costa Rica, Columbia, Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates, Israel, South Africa, Czech Republic, Poland, China, Guatemala and more.
In Paris, Girl Team & Etnies arrived at the Go Skateboarding Day event at Palais de Tokyo. Among the attendees were Kenny Anderson, Brian Anderson, Natas Kaupas, Jose Rojo, Kyle Leeper, Chris Haslam and street artist Neckface. In Afghanistan, for the third year in a row skateboarders took to Kabul’s streets in the only Afghan public sports event with girls, boys and foreigners taking part together. They went from 40 to 180 skateboarders since 2009.
Check out more photo galleries here: (check back for more to be added)
5Boro NYC
Paris, France
Skateistan in Afganistan
Wild in the Streets LA
Poland GSD
Great Wrap Up of South America
Sau Paulo Brazil

Go Skateboarding Day is tomorrow!
Or today if you are in Europe, Africa, Russia, Asia, India, Poland, Czech Republic...

Get out there and skate!
Check the the map for events as well as the official facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/goskateboardingdayofficialpage

Even if there isn't some "official" event in your area, grab a friend and go skateboarding.
Friends don't skate? (lame!) Get them to try it.
Be sure to upload photos and video to facebook and youtube.
We will be selecting the best ones to help promote the day next year.

Go Skateboarding- Have fun!

Get ready because there are eight days and counting until hundreds of thousands of skateboarders from around the world hop on board for the 9th Annual International Go Skateboarding Day (GSD) on June 21st, 2011. Since this year's GSD is on a Tuesday, events are starting as early as the weekend before and they are popping up all over the world. Skate product giveaways, contests, and demos will be held at some of America's biggest skate parks as well as in parks in Panama, England and Austria, to name a few.

GSD unites the global skateboard family to have fun, raise money and awareness for needy skateparks, promote local skate shops, and raise money for local charities and community needs.
We know you just want to find out where to get involved so here are just a small sampling of events across the U.S. that you can attend to support GSD:

• Definitely don't miss out in this New York City event! 5boro Skateboards is once again organizing what is known as the largest Go Skateboarding Day event in the world. Presenting sponsor is Maloof Money Cup, with supporting sponsors Vans, Volcom, Red Bull and CCS, and non-profit community partner, the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn. The event starts are 11:00 am on June 21st at the Maloof Money Cup Skatepark and hits LES at 2:00 pm and ends in Williamsburg at 5:00 pm. For details of the full day please check out www.5boro.com or maloofmoneycup.com.
• Roots Advocates for Youth in Kapaau, Hawaii, has teamed up with Oasis Skateboard Shop to celebrate their 3rd Annual Go Skate Day Parade which begins at 10:30 am on June 21st, 2011. Don't miss out on live music, DJ's and prizes. This is their annual fundraiser to build Roots Skatepark.
• Fairfax Skateshop and the Wakefield Skatepark in Annandale Virginia will be skating for a cause June 17-18th. Support the Children's National Medical Center at Skatefest 2011. More information can be found at at www.skatefestfairfax.com
• Bring your blanket or chair and hang out all day at the Go Skateboarding Day Festival on June 21, 2011 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Sycamore Creek Park at Covered Bridge Lane in Pickerington, OH. There will be a FREE clinic at 10 am, tons of prizes, food and drinks. For more information, contact Mason Reta (sales@carelessheart.com)
• The main event taking place in Venice Beach, California is GSD Venice happening on June 21, 2011. GSD Venice is from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Venice Beach skatepark. Join pros from Almost, Globe, Enjoi, Darkstar, and more and help raise funds for Boarding for Breast Cancer.
• Sector 9 Skateboards reminds us to Push don't Polute by hosting their 5th annual Boardwalk Poker Run in San Diego, CA Free food will be provided by Wahoo's for all participants, fun and games in the park, and free prizes and giveaways. Contact info@sector9.com for more info.
• The City of Tacoma is going to make skateboarding recognized as a legal form of transportation in downtown Tacoma, WA one week before the event. For more information and they have a web site dedicated: www.goskatetacoma.com
• While the Emerica crew will hold their main Wild in the Streets event benefitting Boards for Bros in Los Angeles, CA this year, events are being hosted on a global level. There's sure to be an event near you, so check the web site for locations!

Here are more of the events across the globe that you can attend to support GSD:

• Skateistan skate school in Afganistan will hold it's 3rd annual Go Skateboarding Day event with a skate-a-thon including donkey carts carrying water for participants! Participants will end up at the Skateistan Park, where there will be a skateboard contest and showing of Afghan skate videos. Contact info@skateistan.org
• Leicester, England is hosting the Magic Toast//Leicester on June 21, 2011 all day located at Braunstone Skate Plaza, Victoria Park Skate Park. For more information contact Lewis (lewis@magictoast.com)
• Massive National Skate Reunion in Lima, Peru on June 18th, 2011 All Day!! Last year there were 2500 skaters and this year they are hoping for more. They are gathering in Larco Mar Miraflores at noon. For more information contact Rafael Macul (rafamacul@gmail.com)
• Go Skateboarding Day Panama on June 18, 2011 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Located at Saliendo Del Skatepark de Las Mercedes. Lots of skateboarding and prizes. For more information contact Swiss Sport Corp (info@actionsportla.com)
• Vancouver Go Skateboarding Day 2011 on June 21, 2011 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. This year Go Skateboarding Day in Vancouver will be celebrated with mystery spots, street takeover and an all out radical day with tons of cash prizes, best tricks and product to be had and won by all. Start at Vancouver Skateboard Plaza. For more information contact Supra Distribution (info@supradistribution.com)
• Additional events happening around the world include Romania, Costa Rica, and Columbia, Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates, Israel, South Africa, Czech Republic, Poland, China, and Guatemala.

Contact your local skateshop if you can't find something here on the goskateboardingday.org site!

Legendary skateboard artist and former art director for Santa Cruz skateboards, Jim Phillips Sr. created the fourth in our artist series of collectible posters promoting Go Skateboarding Day.

You’ll find a limited number of signed posters being auctioned on different web sites for charity and as contest giveaways.

The first collectible GSD poster, created by Ed Templeton, was introduced in 2008. Since then artists who have contributed their vision include Steve Caballero and Shepard Fairey. Only a handful of signed, numbered posters by each artist are in existence.

Go Skateboarding Day 2010 celebrated on June 21, 2010, enjoyed amazing success and global turn-out in its 8th year. From more than 500 events worldwide and millions of skaters participating globally, to pro skater support, Go Skateboarding Day (GSD) continues to inspire and generate awareness.

KR3W riders Chad Muska and Lizard King joined thousands of skaters at the L.E.S Skatepark in New York for the KR3W event.
The Skatepark at Venice Beach, CA was packed and pro skaters Chris Haslam, Matt Mumford, Jake Duncombe, James Craig, Bill Wiess, and Terrel Robinson came out to show their support.

The Emerica skate team joined forces for the event Wild in the Streets, and the takeover was a complete success! Wild in the Streets took over in São Paulo, Madrid, Montreal, London, and Tampa.

Wild in the Streets was not the only international event, GSD events took place in Columbia, South Africa, China, Phillipeans, Afghanistan, Czech Republic, and Brazil.

Shanghai, China

London, England

Skaters at Tum Yeto rode one of the world's largest skateboards to celebrate the day.

Charities that benefited from GSD included: Skateistan, Shana Foundation, JohnnyKicksCancer, Lee Matasi Foundation, Stoked Mentoring, Boys and Girls clubs, YMCA, A.skate Foundation, and Grind for Life to name a few as well as multiple skateparks across the nation.

Kabul, Afghanistan

Go Skateboarding Day works to honor and unite participants in the spirit of skateboarding and Go Skateboarding Day 2010 brought thousands of skaters from all over the world together on a single day to celebrate the pure exhilaration and excitement of the sport.

Check out the video coverage!

ESPN
KUSI San Diego

Today is your day! Get out there and skateboard!

Take the survey and give us your opinion and thoughts about skateboarding for a chance to win $200 or a new set up!

Check out Skateistan, a non-profit organization based in Kabul, Afghanistan, that created the first skateboarding school in Afghanistan.

Their mission is to engage urban and internally-displaced youth through skateboarding.

This year Skateistan is teaming up with skaters in Switzerland to connect the two cultures and collect donations for the charity. Also skaters in Switzerland, will take to the streets and skate a 5000 meter (3.11 miles) trek across the city to represent the 5000 kilometer (3,107 miles) distance between Basel and Kabul.

Check out these other cool charities that get involved:
JohnnyKicksCancer, Lee Matasi Foundation, Stoked Mentoring, Boys and Girls clubs, YMCA, A.skate Foundation, and Grind for Life.

Still representing, this year’s GO SKATEBOARDING DAY poster was designed by long time skater Shepard Fairey. Giving props to his skating routes this is what he had to say…

“Skateboarding changed my life. When I was a teenager, I needed a creative, physical outlet that didn’t require me to join a team, and skateboarding was just that. I enjoyed the aggression and stress relief it provided, as well as the creative progression it allowed me to make. The culture of skateboarding also inspired me to make stencils and homemade t-shirts, activities that led to the career I have today. I owe so much to skateboarding for its influence on me, so it’s a pleasure to try to inspire others to skate.”

In 2009, Go Skateboarding Day not only grew in events and the number of skateboarders- it was also a year of incredible happenings!
In Afghanistan, Skateistan celebrated the freedom of skateboarding on the rough streets of Kabul and in the local skatepark ( which is actually a defunct water fountain).

In Vancouver, Emericans skated the streets with the likes of Leo Romero, Ed Templeton, and Andrew Reynolds. But in 2010 they're coming to YOUR CITY (maybe).

Contests on The Skateboard Mag twitter feed, Shred or Die, and Skateboarding.com had guys loaded up with free gear from Etnies, Indy, Powell, and Vans and Skateboarding is not a Crime!

The guys from Element were all over the globe with their flat bar-b-que special sauce. And the wrap up photos are enough to make you wanna eat a dog and go shred the bar-b right now.

NYC had a rain out- but still had thousands of skateboarders turn up to skate and get freebies from Tech Deck and others.

The art by Steve Caballero was raw and fun and made a lot of people happy with the free T-shirts they won. So the final wrap up is pretty late, but we've been busy skateboarding and bottom line- we came, we saw, we skated.