JACKALOPE FESTIVAL BRINGS WORLD-CLASS ACTION SPORTS TO VIRGINIA BEACH

If you are an outsider to the sport, skateboarding is a fascinating realm to explore. When you drive past a skatepark, a collection of ramps, or any place where skateboarders congregate, observing the sense of community surrounding it is always interesting. In June, Virginia Beach will be honored to host the American debut of the Jackalope Festival, Canada’s largest action sports showcase in recent years. The festival features sports such as skateboarding, bouldering, and base jumping, showcasing up-and-coming talent in an athletic field garnering Olympic attention. What started as a more minor event of roughly six thousand people in their first iteration in 2012 saw more than twenty-two thousand people attending in 2022.

The American debut of Jackalope in Virginia Beach is part of a three-year contract for the city. Micah Desforges, the founder & CEO at Tribu Expérientiel—organizers of Jackalope—explained how an unplanned stop at a dive bar during a trade show led to him meeting local action sports enthusiasts that changed the trajectory of the festival. Initially aimed to have a prepandemic debut on the West Coast, the organizer’s plan fell through but serendipitously found an action sport goldmine in Hampton Roads.

“When we started talking, I must admit, Virginia Beach was not on the radar. Then we looked at the city’s legacy on action sports culture, the longest-lasting surfing contest in the world, and a large skating community,” said Desforges. The location was pragmatic for Desforges’ team and the city itself, with a tradition of Canadian tourism in the area. The state sees half a million Canadians passing through each year, and Virginia Beach is a popular location. Due to the pandemic, the numbers dwindled, but Desforges sees Jackalope as a way to rejuvenate this specific demographic of the area’s visitors. “It made a lot of sense when the city officials said they wanted to bring back Canadian visitors. With the pandemic and the border closed for more than two years, there was a desire to reintroduce Canadian tourism,” Desforges explained. “We put the puzzle pieces together and decided to create an awesome new event that celebrates the culture, the action sports and will generate more business for the city.”

Virginia Beach offers Tribu Expérientiel an extensive beachfront with acres of space to put on a show never seen before. The organizers plan on constructing a skatepark for the event that will be designed by West Coast engineers. “The key component is the beach itself, as we are setting up on the oceanfront

“[Initially,] Virginia Beach was not on the radar. Then we looked at the city’s legacy on action sports culture, the longest-lasting surfing contest in the world, and a large skating community.” by 31st Street,” said Desforges. “We are building this awesome, unique, world-class skate park. I am emphasizing this because it really is a thing of beauty.” When someone is going to a festival, whether it is music or sports, one of the most significant issues is the cost. The tickets themselves cost a small fortune, and that is before lodging and travel costs are factored in. However, Jackalope is unique because its admission is entirely free. “For us, it is crucial to bring more people to those sports,” said Desforges. “The key was to make the event as accessible as possible and go the extra step to ensure it.”

Jackalope’s mission is to bring the world of action sports to people who might have never thought about getting into it. The festival, which houses world-class athletes, venues, and competitions, is a one-of-a-kind experience that celebrates the culture as a whole. By making it accessible to all ages, Jackalope is open to anyone to join the community.

Rumors through the grapevine had teased that a special guest would appear at the festival, and it is none other than the face of action sports himself, Tony Hawk. A ten-time gold medal winner at the X-Games, Hawk is an icon in the industry. His presence appeals to the younger and older generations of athletes and enthusiasts visiting Virginia Beach in June. “We had Tony two years in a row in Montreal, and we saw how powerful his name plus his brand is,” Desforges said. “He’s a legend that appeals to a multi-generational crowd. He is, in fact, the biggest name in the action sports industry.”

Along with Hawk, Jackalope will feature a panel of renowned athletes in the field and a variety of head-to-head competitions, such as Elliot Sloan, Bucky Lasek, and Tom Schaar. Local and foreign vendors will open pop-up shops for merchandise and refreshments. At the same time, the organizers plan to offer after-party events for attendees following the end of daytime and evening festivities. The competitions are developed to push athletes to do daring stunts and break records in action sports. The matches themselves are separated into skateboarding, base jumping, and bouldering. Competitors will be able to win $20,000 in the skating portion and $10,000 for bouldering. Freestyle motocross exhibitions and skimboarding events will also occur for those specific action sports fans. The festival will take place from June 2–4. The website developed by Tribu offers links that help travelers from out of town find housing and offers an in-depth look into the festival’s layout for those wishing to learn more about Jackalope. Desforges and his team have set out on the mission of unity and celebration in a significant subculture in the Americas. The first iteration of Jackalope has the potential to form a long and fruitful partnership and create a Hampton Roads staple for years to come.

Skateboarding Bouldering Base Jumping

Skimboarding Breakdancing Motorcross

Jackalope.tribu.co/virginiabeach/

Alex Marjanovich is a recent graduate of Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with a focus on multimedia journalism. Alex will be working in medical recruitment in Roanoke, Virginia, with aspirations to pursue a career in law.