Hey there, fellow degenerates! I made it home from an unforgettable weekend down in Springfield, Illinois, where I got to hang out with George at Skank Skates and the rest of the Midwest skateboard crews. Let me tell you, it was an absolute blast! Skateboarding in the Midwest has just as much to offer as either of the coasts.
Skateboarding: More Than Just a Hobby
As many of you know, skateboarding is not just a sport; it’s a lifestyle. It brings people together from all walks of life, transcending age, race, and background. Springfield, IL, might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of skateboarding hotspots, but I can assure you that the city has a thriving skate scene that’s well worth exploring. This was on full display over the past weekend.
Meet George: The Heart and Soul of All Things Skateboarding in Springfield, IL
George, our gracious host for the weekend, is a legend in the Springfield skateboarding community. He’s been involved with skating for as long as most people can remember and has seen the sport evolve through the years. One of the most heard comments from people attending the event this weekend was, “George taught me how to drop in on a ramp when I was about 10 years old.” I easily heard half a dozen people I spoke with say that.
Friday Night Shredding
Our weekend adventure began on a Friday night, as we gathered at Skank Skates International for some food and a little skate sesh. The energy was through the roof, with skateboarders of all ages rolling in, eager to hit the ramps, rails, and ledges. George opened the park up a little early so people could skate as much as they wanted and that was definitely the case. At one point there were probably 50 people inside skating various parts of the park while some were outside catching up or just simply eating.
As some skaters got tired, new people came in ready to fill their spot standing on top of the ramps to cheer others on and skate. As I’m fairly new to the Midwest scene, there were several people I didn’t know at first. People came from all over the area: Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Texas, Michigan, even Minnesota. All under one roof to skate and bullshit for the weekend.
Saturday: The Main Event at Centennial Park
On Saturday, George hosted a big event at their local concrete park with a huge bowl. About 25 vendors set up shop while everybody else skated the park. Some of the highlights were a kid from SB Skates doing a front blunt kickflip out on the rail, another kid doing wallrides on the makeshift barrier to protect the band’s equipment (which lead to a small argument and possibly some feelings getting hurt), and Rampage the skateboarding dog. Seriously, that dog hit some ramps, rails, and even ollied over a kid. Rampage might have been one of the biggest draws of the day. Everyone stopped skating to watch the dog rip it up. There was so much going on it’s hard to document all of it, but rest assured, everyone had a blast. I even think deep down the singer from Acid Fog had a blast too, even though he had a board launched at his band.
After the main event at Centennial Park was done, a bunch of people went to a little DIY park in Brian Patton’s backyard. This was about as awesome as you would imagine it being. Concrete bowl, flood lights to see what tf you’re doing, beers and breaking in a backyard bowl. This is where Deano Tull hit a huge blunt to kickflip back into the pool. He fell a few times, but when it was landed, everyone erupted.
The night didn’t end there though. After several adult beverages I managed to find Calvin Krieg from the PMT (Pardon My Thrashing) Team and we skated a bank parking lot for a little bit. Just a bunch of fun and shenanigans all around. Before heading in for the night, I ran into another group from the Character team (Geo, Myk, and Gael) and managed to get a few more clips before the night ended.
Parting Thoughts
My weekend hanging out with George and rest of the skaters that converged in Springfield, IL, was an absolute blast. It reminded me of the beauty of skateboarding that seems to have left for several years. It felt like back in the day when there were huge groups of kids that were willing to skate anything and anywhere there was concrete. The sense of instant friendship because someone else has a skateboard, just like you, is something I haven’t seen or felt in a while.
If you ever find yourself in Springfield and have a passion for skateboarding, be sure to connect with George and stay at his AirBNB. You won’t regret it.
If you’re ever in the Midwest, look these guys up and say hi:
SB Skates, Character Skateboards, Dirty Skateboards, PMT/606 Wheels, Porkchop Skate Shop, Wax Boys, George at Skank Skates, Paperhouse Magazine, Embassy Skateboards, and Ben Raybourn.
I’m sure I missed a lot of people, so hit me up and I’ll add you to the list.