Skarstic Festival at Skate Park - Saturday

By Susan Gartner

Multi-media artist Pierre Nagley works on one of ten skateboard decks outside of Brother Bear's Cafe last week. The decks will be awarded as skate competition prizes at Skarstic Festival 2010. His agent and companion, Beetoe, will be featured on one of the decks as well. (Photo by Susan Gartner)

The Super Spectacular Extraordinarily Energized Yellow Springs Skarstic Festival will take place Saturday, April 17, from 2-10 p.m. (Rain date: Saturday, April 24) Admission $2. This kid-friendly event will feature food, music, face-painting, henna, finger-painting, sand art, skate competitions, and skate demos by One Love Skateshop and Ohio Surf & Skate. Music provided by Wheels, Full Circle, The Paramedics, The Pinstripes, Mercury Mouth, Blue Moon Soup, and Kuan. The festival will be held in the YS Skate Park and Tennis Courts, next to the John Bryan Community Center.

The event is being organized by YS High School seniors Nancy Epling and Conor Stratton who have been best friends since 2nd grade.

“The skate park is falling apart and we feel that this will be a great way to bring the community together with skateboarding, music, and art,” reads the Yellow Springs Skarstic Festival Facebook page.

The two students came up with the idea for their senior project because they love the skate park.

“It has been my hangout spot for a long time,” said Epling. “I feel like slowly but surely the kids in Yellow Springs have lost respect for this town. The park is falling apart and I think that if we try and make a positive impact we can turn things around and fix it up to its full potential. I think that when the youth see that the community is interested in helping, maybe their views will be more positive.”

The senior project has already been a valuable learning experience. Epling said she’s learned how to approach different kinds of people and ask for help and advice, she’s made new friends in the community, and her organizational skills have improved.

As a highlight of the Festival, local artist and muralist (and Flower Power contributor!) Pierre Nagley has graciously volunteered to paint ten skateboard decks to be sold as well as offered as prizes for the skate competitions.

“I thought of [including] Pierre because I see him every day at Brother Bear’s and I thought he would like to help the cause,” said Epling. “When I was younger, my Grandma used to take me down Kieth’s Alley and I would marvel at the amazing murals. She would tell me that Pierre, a local artist, did them.”

Epling was interviewed soon after returning with her classmates from their senior trip to New Orleans. Operating on very little sleep, she was still pumped up from the adventure.

“Our class has always been so involved in dancing, music, and the culture behind great music,” explained Epling, “so our class adviser Desiree Nickel ― also a wonderful English teacher ― thought New Orleans would be the most enjoyable place for us.” The group stayed in the French Quarter during the French Quarter Festival. They also helped with the building of two houses for Habitat for Humanity.

Fresh back from the trip, Epling immediately got to work on last minute festival details. Coordinating the Skarstic Festival has been easier than the two students initially expected due to the amount of support they have received from community members.

“Chief Grote has been a huge help,” Epling said. “Conor and I didn’t have any money of our own to put into this. We just simply asked if it was going to be okay with them if we held the festival [on Bryan Center property] and then Chief Grote offered to help us in any way he could. He bought the skate decks [for Nagley to paint] and has been helping us out with supplies.”

The teens’ relationship with Chief Grote goes back to their days of attending Mills Lawn Elementary School.

“When we were crossing guards and it was cold,” she said, “he would always bring us hot chocolate and doughnuts on Fridays!”

Proceeds from the event will go to the Yellow Springs Skate Park and the Haitian relief fund.