Flying through a skatepark event: need to plan an event at your skatepark? Try these helpful hints that will have you grinding through your first festival in no time.

Holding a contest or demo at your skatepark can be one of the most successful and important events your city will organize. If you do not have a skatepark, there is a good chance that your local skaters and bikers have only experienced negative interaction with authority. Imagine how a child feels the first time he or she gets a medal, instead of a ticket for skateboarding or biking. Imagine how proud a parent feels when his or her child comes home with a trophy, and not in the back of a squad car. Events are fun, raise self-esteem and offer a showcase for alternative sports.

The most important aspect of holding a successful event is community involvement. Start by going to your local skateboard or BMX shops (depending on the type of event) and asking for help. Your local shops are your no. 1 resource for your event. They will be able to promote the event, and arrange for products, prizes, judges and announcers. If they can't help, they can probably give the resources needed to start in the right direction.

A successful skatepark event always needs a few key ingredients to get the community into the mix. It also doesn't happen overnight--try to allot at least three to four months lead time to plan and organize your community's first event. Here are some elements to get your first festival off the ground and onto your ramps.

Marketing Makes a Difference

Make flyers and have them distributed in the local shops, schools and at the skatepark (if you have one) or recreation center. Another good way to promote the event is to work a sponsorship deal with a pizza company. They will sometimes agree to sell you pizza at a discount the day of the event, in exchange for putting their logo on all the flyers. They then attach a flyer to every pizza box they send out for delivery prior to the event.

Make sure you invite the media to the event to receive local coverage. You should send out press releases to the local newspapers and radio stations announcing the event, as well as one that wraps up what occurred during the day. If the media doesn't come, ask local colleges and high schools if they have any students that will document the day for you. Then, simply send that footage to local media outlets.

Bring In the Pros

If you ask young skaters or bikers what a good event needs, they will tell you that they'd like to see professionals. Pros can be one of the most important ingredients in your event, but your agency should know a few things before hiring one.

Make sure you know who you are bringing and what they are going to do. For example, many cities have strict helmet and pad laws, but have hired pros that won't wear safety equipment. It can be confusing for everyone and end up in a bad situation. There are professionals and street riders, who sometimes do not wear helmets and pads, so make sure this is discussed before they come.

Skateboarders have been on the streets for 20 years, and there are some who are very much a part of the sub-culture. Some of these riders might show up drunk or even stoned, so make sure your agency clearly defines a no alcohol and drug policy. Most of the time skaters will comply or simply not take the job. Rates for pros vary, but a good starting reference point is $300 a day, plus travel expenses. Obviously, the bigger the pro, the more the fee. For example, Tony Hawk will make an appearance at your skatepark if your community donates $25,000 to the Tony Hawk Foundation.

Discuss with event planners what your agency would like skaters to get from the event--will these pros simply be showcasing their skills or teaching a broader lesson? Jeff Ferris from the Pro Impact Stunt Team says the difference can be eye-opening. "I have been doing skateboarding and BMX action sport demos since 1986, and I have found a big difference in just using 'pro athletes' compared to pro's who are able to take their skills to a performance setting and showcase these sports as a positive lifestyle," he says.

Many members of his team have been riding skateboards or bikes for more than 30 years, and participate in events not to show off, but to make an impact on a community, and particularly kid riders. "These days, kids have a harder time staying on track in life, but one thing they all can relate to is skateboarding or BMX riding," he says. "The main goal in our shows is to put on a motivational-type assembly, disguised as a stunt show. This way, the kids will actually listen and take to heart when we talk about important issues like goal setting, staying in school and staying away from drugs."

Being Judgmental 

No matter how big or prestigious your contest is, if the judging is not right, skaters will only remember that. World Cup skateboarder Danielle Bostick, who also produces events for ESPN's X Games, says it may be the most important aspect to an event. "Judging is key to holding a successful contest," she says. "It is also important to build up your local scene and your local pros."

It also helps to remind judges (who may come to the event with some biases about skaters' abilities) that the scoring is based on the 60 seconds of the run performed at the event. They have to be able to give high marks to a person they might not like. It is also important to make sure the judges your agency selects are clean, professional and personable.

If you have the budget to hire judges, do so. An event doesn't have to use trained judges though--events with no funding can use the expert riders to judge beginner and intermediate, and then the intermediate skaters can switch to judge the experts. It can work. At one BMX event I attended, we broke the riders into two groups--riders with brakes and riders without brakes. They judged each other and then we had the top two riders from each group compete, with both braking groups judging.

If your skatepark plans on holding multiple events, your agency may find that a few talented riders will tend to always win in their division. Sometimes judges will try to take their win away because they have won too many contests. Although the judges are trying to give another skater a chance, there is nothing wrong with having a top rider in the community if he or she wins fairly. It raises the bar for everyone and could lead to your community finding the next Tony Hawk.

No Park, No Problem

Even without a skatepark, communities can hold a skateboarding event. It could help to showcase how many residents are interested in skateboarding, and lead the way for future funding of a skatepark. To hold a festival or event, simply bring in ramps or hold a "Flatland" event.

Renting ramps can be expensive and if your community tries this route, your agency might want to also try an event producer. They usually cost about $2,500, but can escalate to more than $10,000. Many producers work with large sponsors who absorb a lot of the cost of the ramps, leaving your agency to pay for the producer and set up. To bring in and set up a vert ramp can cost anywhere from $ 10,000 to $40,000. A small street course can be rented for much less if there is one available locally, but if you have one moved in, the fee increases for trucking and set up. Depending on what you can offer an event producer, he or she might be able to get his or her sponsors to pick up most of the expenses.

If a big event with a big budget is not in your community's future, you can still hold a very organic and fun Flatland event for both skateboarding and BMX. Flatland is a type of skateboarding and BMX riding without transitions. Flatland is fun for beginners or kids, and all that is needed is a smooth surface. A double tennis court is ideal, but a good parking lot or blocked street will work just as well.

Tim Kearn, recreation specialist for Clovis, Calif., held one of these events while the community waited for a local skatepark to be completed. "We had various age divisions in both street and mini-ramp events," he says. "The event went well, with turnout strong in the younger divisions [10 to 15 year-olds]."

Your community can even hold downhill racing events, where all that is needed is a good street with a gentle hill. Skateboarding contests could include: Game of Skate, Best three-in-a-row Trick, Highest Ollie, Longest Gap, Wall Ride, Best Trick on a Rail, Spinning, Best Run, Slalom and Downhill Racing. BMX gets technical and is usually judged on a session, while you can also include inline skaters in a Flatland competition.

The Big Day

Make sure as riders enter the event area, that the event staff provide wristbands or stamps to identify that they are participants. If pros are there, make sure they are treated well and have a staff escort. They will need a green room or tent where they can rest in private, and agencies should be prepared to provide refreshments for them. Creating a VIP pass for them is always a nice touch.

Crowd control can become an important issue if pro skaters or BMX riders are there. It is common to have more than 1,000 spectators if pros are present at the event. Pros will often bring a lot of product, so the event staff should have a way to keep it secure until it is passed out.

Agencies will also have to plan how, when and where to give out awards. Giving them out after each division will make it easier for the participants to leave. If you are overcrowded this seems like a good idea, however this approach will leave no spectators for your best skaters in the expert divisions. Passing out awards at the end of the day encourages riders to stay and watch the event, and it keeps them engaged for the whole day. Some parents don't want to stay for an entire day, so make sure it is clear on all flyers what the schedule will be. You can always send results and prizes if they cannot stay for the whole day.

Risk Management

Make sure everyone who enters the contest or festival area signs a waiver. A potential lawsuit is more likely to come from a spectator or someone attached to the event than a participant. If you allow photographers (even professionals) into the area to film, make sure they also sign a waiver. Flying skateboards cause the most injuries, and when they sail into a group of spectators it can result in serious injuries and even death. Make sure your boards are controlled by fencing, and position some spotters around the area.

Holding skatepark events is one of the most important things a park and recreation agency can do for its community. It will not only educate residents about action sports, but it will help to break down the barriers and stigma associated with them. For many years, skateboarders and BMX riders have been discredited as gangsters, slackers and generally not very athletic. When their activities are showcased, it gives people a chance to see for themselves how difficult the sport can be, and how passionate skaters are about it and their community skatepark. Hayden Anderson, a 9-year-old skater might sum it up best when he says, "Contests are really cool. You get to meet with your friends, have fun and get prizes."

Types of Events

There are as many different kinds of skatepark events as there are skateboards. Here's a look at the most common events that have "wheeled" success:

Demo--usually involves bringing out a pro skateboard or BMX team to demo What matters most: product giveaways and who the pros are.

Clinic--pro riders will teach safety and help riders with tricks What matters most: qualified instructors

Contest--can be amateur or pro but usually amateur What matters most: fair judging, good announcer and prizes

Video Premieres--Show a new video for fun or as part of an event or fundraiser.

What matters most: that the video is appropriate for your age group.

Festival--combine a skatepark event with a larger festival, such as one focused on Health and Fitness, Music & Arts, etc.

What matters most: music and having fun

Common Event Mistakes

Planning an event is never easy, but avoiding common mistakes can make the difference between a successful skatepark event and a disastrous one. Here are the top 10 mistakes to avoid:

1. Most skatepark event participants will complain first about bad judging. Make sure the event judges are unbiased and fair.

2. Make sure all products are accounted for and given out.

3. Avoid dehydration by providing refreshments, either to be bought or for free consumption. Water should be readily available for participants.

4. Standing outside at a skatepark event can lead to sunburn. Try to get a local pharmacy to donate sunblock.

5. Serious injuries are rare but they do happen--have a doctor or nurse volunteer at the event and have first-aid ready in case of an emergency. Make sure all staff know what to do in the event of a serious injury.

6. Have a system to easily identify registered riders.

7. Have your schedule of events clearly marked on flyers and posted at registration so parents and participants are aware of the length of the event.

8. Make all participants and spectators sign a waiver.

9. Make sure all DJs and bands are PG-rated if this is a family event.

10. Make sure everyone is having fun!