 Photo: Ryan Zimmerman Harold Hunter Weekend XIV went down from September 9-12, 2021 in New York City. This year's event was presented by DC Shoes with additional support from Element Skateboards, HUF, Red Bull, Zumiez, and The Skinny Bar & Lounge, among others. Each year, Harold Hunter Weekend is one of NYC’s largest and most highly anticipated skateboarding events that celebrates the enduring spirit and legacy of Harold Hunter. This year was no exception as all four days of events were packed with friends, family, and fans of both Harold and skate culture. As a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit grassroots organization, the Harold Hunter Foundation relies on financial backing from the community to provide a network of support, opportunity, and advocacy for NYC youth so they can reach their full potential as skateboarders and young adults. HHF believes skateboarding has the power to transform lives. Element Skateboards kicked off Harold Hunter Weekend XIV on Thursday afternoon at Brooklyn's Substance Skatepark with a jam session and panel discussion featuring skate icon Donny Barley, Element team riders, and photographer Charlie Samuels where they discussed the ins and outs of working in the skateboarding industry. It was educational and inspiring.  On Thursday night, DC Shoes hosted a charity pool tournament versus Max Fish at Sharks Pool Club. It was a heated competition with Marc Razo taking home the victory and donating his winnings to the Harold Hunter Foundation. Thanks, Razo! On Friday morning, the Pablo Ramirez Foundation, Brooklyn Skate Garden, Bronx Girls Skate, and HHF joined forces to give the LES Skatepark a thorough cleaning, removing dozens of bags of trash in the process. Huge thanks to all the volunteers who showed up early, got their hands dirty, and made a positive impact on the local community.  On Friday afternoon, DC Shoes and NJ Skateshop presented Shred for Wilkie at Ann Van Skatepark in New Jersey with a BBQ, giveaways, live music, best trick contest, and DC team riders in attendance including Evan Smith, Wes Kremer, John Gardner, John Shanahan, Ish Cepeda, Will Marshall, Kevin Bilyeu, Toby Ryan, Dylan Jaeb, Jahmir Brown, Thomas Dristas, Josh Wilson, Justin Hearn, Andrea Bethke, and Brian Panebianco. Heavy hitters in the Garden State! With the 20th anniversary of 9/11 top of mind, on Friday night at the Graduate Hotel Roosevelt Island, Element Skateboards hosted a Twin Towers tribute deck release and silent auction featuring photographer Charlie Samuels' iconic 1989 photo of Harold skitching a yellow cab with the majestic Twin Towers looking on. Charlie discussed his photography career, shared funny anecdotes about Harold, and signed the 5 decks featured in the auction with all proceeds donated to HHF. It was a very special night! Saturday kicked off with The Boardr Open presented by DC Shoes at the LES Skatepark featuring the HHF Wildcard Contest. It was a super high level of skating and, when it was all said and done, Shiloh Catori took home the win on the women's side and Nico Ramos won the men's division. The HHF Wildcard victory went to Juri Iikura for women and Jiro Platt for men. All winners received $500 to put toward travel expenses to compete in November’s Miami Open. Golconda/Fat Kid Skatepark in Brooklyn played host to a Women's Skate Jam on Saturday afternoon hosted by HHF Coaches Jae Cooper and Eliza Gonzalez. It was a positive day of discussions about inclusivity within skateboarding, instructional skate clinics, $1,000 cash-for-tricks contests, giveaways, and plenty of good vibes. On Saturday night, DC Shoes hosted a Gunars Elmuts photo show at SoHo Playhouse. The special event celebrated Harold with select Gunars photos hand-embellished by artists Andy Howell, David Aron, Eli Gesner, and Thomas Campbell. All pieces were available for sale with proceeds donated to HHF. There was a special DJ set by Large Professor and screening of All The Streets Are Silent. Rad times were had by all! The main event - Harold Hunter Day XIV - went down on Sunday at the LES Skatepark presented by DC Shoes. With over 1,000 people in attendance, it was an amazing way to once again celebrate the late, great Harold Hunter. The massive crowds enjoyed live music, tons of giveaways, and plenty of insane skateboarding with best trick contests presented by Red Bull, HUF, Element Skateboards, and DC Shoes. A huge thanks to all those who pulled up to make this year's HH Day one of the best yet! Red Bull Women's Best Trick (Bowl Corner & Hip):
HUF Best Trick (Bump to Apple & Flat Rail):
Element Skateboards Best Trick (Small Stairs & Rail):
DC Shoes Best Trick (Double-Set Gap to Platform):
Zumiez Destroyer Award Winner (Favorite Skater of the Day):
A huge THANK YOU to The Boardr and all the sponsors that helped make Harold Hunter Weekend XIV happen including DC Shoes, Element Skateboards, HUF, The Skinny, Zumiez, Red Bull, AriZona, UXA, Sweet Chick, Skullcandy, Brooklyn Skate Garden, Pablo Ramirez Foundation, Bronx Girls Skate, KCDC, Labor, Homage, NYSkateboarding, Shut, 5boro, Torro, Substance Skatepark, Skate 4 Changes, FRANK151, and Trophy Grip.
Photos courtesy of Ryan Zimmerman, Greg Waters, Dennis Williford, Lanna Apisukh, Gunars Elmuts, Eric Fischer, and Mike Heikkila.  The Harold Hunter Foundation (HHF), in association with Presenting Sponsor DC Shoes, and Supporting Sponsors Element Skateboards, HUF, Red Bull, Zumiez, and The Skinny Bar & Lounge, is proud to announce it will host a series of skateboarding events in New York City from Thursday, September 9th through Sunday, September 12th – all in remembrance of legendary skateboarder Harold Hunter who passed away in 2006. Each year, Harold Hunter Weekend is one of NYC’s largest and most highly anticipated skateboarding events. Last year, due to the pandemic, Harold Hunter Weekend was cancelled. This year’s Fourteenth Annual Harold Hunter Weekend will feature a series of special events that celebrate everything Harold loved most – skateboarding, art, music, friends, family, and New York City. “DC Shoes is proud to support the Harold Hunter Foundation. Harold was a massive part of New York City’s rich skateboarding history and the work HHF does in his memory is truly incredible,” says DC Shoes North America Marketing Manager Eric Fischer. “After being separated by the pandemic, we’re looking forward to seeing the next generation harness his energy and come together for this year’s event.” As a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit grassroots organization, the Harold Hunter Foundation relies on financial backing from the community to provide a network of support, opportunity, and advocacy for NYC youth so they can reach their full potential as skateboarders and young adults. HHF believes skateboarding has the power to transform lives. Following is an overview of Harold Hunter Weekend XIV events and collaborations that will benefit the Harold Hunter Foundation: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9: Noon-8:00pm: - Skateboarding jam and panel discussion hosted by Element Skateboards at Brooklyn’s Substance Skatepark 7:00-11:00pm: - DC Shoes vs. Max Fish charity pool tournament supporting HHF (Private Event) FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10: 10:00am-1:00pm: - LES Skatepark clean-up hosted by HHF, Pablo Ramirez Foundation, Brooklyn Skate Garden, and Bronx Girls Skate 3:00-6:00pm: - Shred for Wilkie presented by DC Shoes and NJ Skateshop at Ann Van Skatepark in New Jersey; BBQ, giveaways, live music, best trick contest, and DC team riders in attendance 6:00-9:00pm: -HHF x Element Skateboards Twin Towers tribute deck launch and silent auction featuring photographer Charlie Samuels at Roosevelt Island’s Graduate Hotel (21+) SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11: 10:00am-5:00pm - The Boardr Open presented by DC Shoes featuring the HHF Wildcard Contest at LES Skatepark - Open to 20 local skaters, the winner of the HHF Wildcard Contest will receive $500 towards travel expenses to compete in November’s Miami Open skate contest - To register for the HHF Wildcard Contest and apply to receive financial support paying all or part of the $100 registration fee, please click here Noon-5:00pm: - Female skate jam at Golconda/Fat Kid Skatepark in Brooklyn 9:00pm-Midnight: - Gunars Elmuts photo exhibit presented by DC Shoes at SoHo Playhouse with a live performance by DJ Large Professor (21+) SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12: 1:00-6:00pm - Harold Hunter Day XIV Skate Jam presented by DC Shoes at LES Skatepark - All-ages skate jam featuring best trick contests with cash and prizes, live music, and a massive product toss with free decks, t-shirts, hats, and more Additionally, to coincide with HH Weekend, for the sixth consecutive year a limited edition HHF x HUF product capsule featuring a co-branded t-shirt, hooded sweatshirt, and socks will be released with proceeds benefitting the Harold Hunter Foundation. On September 9th the collection will be available at HUF stores, HUF online, and select retailers worldwide. If you knew Harold, then you know he loved a good meal. Throughout September, longtime HHF restaurant partner Sweet Chick will once again offer a Harold-inspired dish with 100% of profits benefitting the foundation. Available at all five Sweet Chick locations in New York and Los Angeles, the “Harold Special” features Boonkie Drumsticks & Sweet Corn Waffle, $17 (named after Harold’s beloved dog, Boonkie), paired with Harold’s Lemonade, $12 (fresh-squeezed lemonade mixed with Harold’s whiskey of choice, Jack Daniel’s). Last but certainly not least, for the entire month of September, The Skinny Bar & Lounge in Manhattan’s Lower East Side will donate $1 per drink sold – $5 per Jack & Coke – to the Harold Hunter Foundation. So, stop by for a cold drink and support HHF in the process. *Note: Indoor events require proof of vaccination or negative Covid test within 72-hours to enter.          The Bronx Girls Skate Jam was held at Van Cortlandt Skatepark on July 10th. Organized and run by HHF ambassadors and Bronx Girls Skate founders/Bronx natives Kava Vasquez and Mel Ramirez, the grassroots event was focused on unifying the NYC skateboarding community by welcoming everyone to come together and shred.
Recap video shot and edited by JLast Edits.  Harold was beloved in Japan! That’s why we’re honored to have teamed up with one of Japan’s top brands and retailers, Journal Standard, for a special drop of limited-edition tees featuring classic Harold photos by Gunars Elmuts and artwork by Kevin Lyons. A portion of proceeds from this charitable capsule collection will be donated to HHF so we can further our mission of providing support, opportunity, and advocacy for NYC skateboarders. Available exclusively through Baycrews in Japan, international shipping is available during the checkout process on their website. #LegendsNeverDie Lifestyle photos courtesy of Ray Mendez and Ben Seligson.             On June 26th, the Skate for Changes Skate Jam & BBQ was held at Cooper Skatepark in Brooklyn. It was a fun day with some incredible skateboarding thrown down by the HHF crew and others. Skate for Changes is a BIPOC-led skate collective focused on community building, mutual aid, and bridging the divide between skaters of color and their communities.
Video shot by @bryant333 and @djangomaan. Video edited by Michael Furnari.  On Saturday night, July 24th, we're celebrating the debut of skateboarding at the Summer Games with a special watch party at The Skinny Bar & Lounge benefiting the Harold Hunter Foundation.
Co-hosted by Alex Corporan and JZ Radical, this free event will run from 8-10pm and feature a live stream of the Men's Street Skate Finals, plus a raffle and complimentary drink upon entry (must be 21+ with proper ID to attend). Please register in advance if you plan to join us. While this is a free event we ask that you consider supporting the Harold Hunter Foundation by making a donation. Thank you! HHF Coach/Mentor, Eliza Gonzalez, hosted an all-ages skate jam and best trick contest on June 5th at the Forest Park (PZ) Skatepark in Queens. Featuring free food and beverages, cash prizes, giveaways, and a massive product toss, the Queens Skate Jam was an excellent way to kick-off the summer skate season in NYC. Recap video shot and edited by Michael Furnari.   It’s been 26 years since the groundbreaking film Kids was released. Now, The Kids is a documentary on the inside story of the kids who inspired the 1995 cult classic. This highly anticipated film will make its world premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival.
While the in-person premiere is now sold out, you can still get tickets for the virtual premiere on Saturday, June 12th at 6pm ET. The purchased film will remain available to stream on demand through June 23rd. Please note, streaming Tribeca at Home is not available outside the US. Photo: Gunars Elmuts  Homage Skateboards turns 15 this June, and to celebrate this major milestone they’ve teamed up with pro skater/artist Alexis Sablone for a limited-edition deck collaboration. Now available through the Homage website and in-store, a portion of proceeds from each deck sold will be donated to the Harold Hunter Foundation, Skateistan, and The Skatepark Project. "I was happy to design a series for Homage because I love what they’re about and everything they do for the local skate community. For me, every creative process starts with too many directions and only through drawing and redrawing does one idea continue to reappear—to stick. I can’t say why it happens, but it does, and it's that idea I try to run with. With a series like this one, once I have one small piece decided, I like to build a narrative around it to find the others. The resultant story might not be fully coherent or even readily apparent to others, but it’s a story, to me, nonetheless, that ties everything together." -Alexis Sablone     As members of the global skateboarding community, we have come together to make a collective commitment to actively resist and challenge systemic racism in our own scenes, organizations, the skateboard industry, and wider society. The Commitment to Anti-Racism in Skateboarding is an idea led by the Goodpush Alliance, together with members from a dozen social skateboarding organizations worldwide. HHF is very proud to be a supporter of this initiative. The goals of the Commitment to Anti-Racism in Skateboarding are to:
Click here to read and sign the Commitment to Anti-Racism in Skateboarding.   |
Harold Hunter FoundationThe Harold Hunter Foundation (HHF) is a grassroots, community-based organization that provides support, opportunity, and advocacy for skateboarders in NYC and beyond. Archives
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