Have you noticed a significant increase in the number of people skateboarding lately? It’s not just kids; it seems like individuals of all ages and backgrounds are suddenly taking to the streets on boards. This phenomenon is more than just a fleeting trend. This article delves into the multifaceted reasons behind the recent boom in skateboarding’s popularity.
At local skate spots, like Brower Park, it’s evident that skateboarding is thriving. The usual crowd has been joined by new faces: middle schoolers with fresh setups, parents rediscovering their youth, and college students learning the basics together. While the pandemic initially silenced cities, the sounds of skateboarding seem to have only grown louder. Skate shop owners and employees confirm this trend, reporting unprecedented sales, with many customers being individuals who haven’t stepped into a shop in years, or ever. This raises a pertinent question: what is driving this sudden surge in skateboarding’s popularity and why has it become so diverse?
The resurgence of skateboarding isn’t attributable to a single factor, unlike previous booms fueled by events like the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater or the show Rob and Big. There’s no singular marketing campaign or industry initiative driving this growth. Instead, it’s a combination of factors that ignited the resurgence, acting like a powder keg that only needed a spark.
For many, the arrival of stimulus checks, extended unemployment benefits, and the sudden change in routine caused by COVID-19 shutdowns acted as that spark. As Gary Smith, owner of Vù Skateshop in Baltimore, noted, “With the stimulus checks and the unemployment money, people are spending.” Skateboarding proved to be an ideal activity during quarantine, requiring only a flat surface and naturally promoting social distancing. With kids out of school and parents looking for ways to keep them occupied, skateboarding emerged as a perfect solution.
The boom wasn’t limited to just kids, either. Many individuals who had drifted away from skating over the years saw this as the perfect opportunity to dust off their old boards or purchase a new one. Dennis Burdick, general manager at Familia Skateshop in Minneapolis, observed, “I have servers and bartenders that used to skate or wanted to get into skating but didn’t want to get hurt. Now they’re like oh, we have a month to heal up. I might as well try.” The pandemic provided both the time and the impetus for many to return to the sport.
The pandemic isn’t the sole reason for skateboarding’s comeback. For some, it was a rediscovery of a past passion. John Beckius, who skated during the early 2000s boom, had his board collecting dust in the garage after moving. That changed when his son showed interest. “He would try the belly board thing, but he didn’t really click with that, but he got a scooter on his second birthday.” This led him to buy new gear and start skating again, spending lockdown skating with and without his son.
Beckius belongs to the generation that experienced the late ’90s/early ’00s skateboarding boom, who are now in the typical age range for first-time parents. While there isn’t much data tracking skateboarding participants, it’s clear that many of them are either still skating or have found their way back to it. These generational factors are contributing to skateboarding’s current rise, coinciding with a broader trend in outdoor activities. Neil Chester from Parade World, an e-commerce platform for skate shops and brands, commented that “it’s a pattern across all outdoor activity post-lockdown. Sales of bicycles and running gear are way up.”
One notable trend is the growing number of women participating in skateboarding. Social media is filled with flyers advertising meetups for women and non-cis men. Soph Elder, co-director of Skate Like a Girl’s Seattle chapter, notes, “Meetups did happen prior to this surge in Instagram, but I think that because there is more awareness, it’s making them more robust.” Skate Like A Girl, founded in 2000, aims to bring women, trans, and gender non-conforming skaters together, offering support and learning opportunities.
The skateboard industry has also increased its financial support for women’s skateboarding, sponsoring meetups, workshops, and including female skaters in pro teams and marketing campaigns. These developments are part of a larger movement toward greater inclusivity and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color in American culture, with skateboarding as a way to showcase these stories. As Elder mentioned, even her mother noticed the increased visibility of gay people in TV, including the show Betty, which features the women from The Skate Kitchen. This exposure helps to bring skateboarding into the mainstream consciousness.
The portrayal of skateboarding in TV and movies has evolved significantly in recent years. No longer confined to stereotypical stoner characters, it’s now presented in more complex ways in films like Minding the Gap and Learning to Skate in a Warzone [If You’re A Girl], and in fictionalized portrayals like mid90s and The Skate Kitchen. These depictions of diverse demographics have inspired individuals like Elizabeth Tovar, a 23-year-old student from Los Angeles, to start skateboarding. After watching Betty, Tovar and a friend decided to learn, eventually joining up with more experienced skaters.
Skateboarding is ideally suited for life during a pandemic because it combines transportation, exercise, and the possibility for socially distanced interaction. Jazmine Hughes, a Brooklyn-based writer and new skater, was drawn to the sport for its cultural appeal and the opportunity to meet people. She also enjoys the sense of control that skateboarding offers, which she views as a continuation of her recent effort to learn to swim. She’s not afraid to make her own experience with skateboarding, stating “As opposed to things coming at me, it’s like I’m coming at something else.”
With the myriad challenges currently facing the world, perhaps skateboarding is the perfect way to navigate them. Whether it’s a renewed passion from the past or a newfound hobby, the current skateboarding surge reflects a desire for freedom, community, and self-expression during unprecedented times.
