Although the UK Skim Fest is on for just two days a year, the organisation takes a lot of time and effort, and the planning starts early on in the year. The Skim Fest is really a team effort, including family, friends and skimmers that all pitch in to lend a hand.
Zap Professional rider, Austin Bleiweiss at the UK Skim Fest
So let’s start in February, when the planning and organisation starts to take shape:
February
We hold an initial meeting at Challaborough with the various parties involved. This includes Sandskater, Fryer Tucks and the RNLI Beach Rescue. Plans for the Skim Fest are discussed including any new ideas for the event and what will be needed.
May
Letters are sent out to the RNLI Beach Rescue and Salcombe Harbour Master informing them of the dates of the Skim Fest. This insures they can plan to have enough cover over the Skim Fest weekend should there be an incident. Letters are also sent out to Fryer Tucks and the landowner to outline the proposals for the Skim Fest weekend.
July
Initial talk with the sponsors to see what they can do for the Skim Fest. Sandskater, Zap Skimboards have been the main sponsors of the event to date. A risk assessment is drawn up for the event, so everybody knows what to do in the event of an emergency. We then need to make a phone call and send a letter to the Devon Air Ambulance to inform them that we will be raising money for them so they can raise publicity for the skim fest.
August
With the sponsors on board, we can now have a look at getting the official event t-shirt design finalised. The PA system hire is arranged and paid for. A discussion is held with Zap Skimboards to decide which professional riders will be coming over to the UK and a list of prizes required are sent to Zap. The prize draw tickets are bought, and the presentation cheque is picked up from the bank.
September
Prizes arrive from Zap. The T-shirt design is sent to the printers and the Skim Fest road signs are ordered. Flight details for the pro’s are finalised and the airport pick up times are organised. All stock to be taken to Challaborough is counted and logged. Finalise details with the PA hire company. With about a week to go, the press releases are drawn up and sent out for all local TV, radio and newspapers.
3 days to go
Drive up to London to pick up the Pro’s and bring them back to south Devon.
2 days to go
All necessary equipment and stock is shifted to Challaborough and road signs put out.
1 day to go
Any last minute hitches are ironed out and finally hit the pub in the evening to relax before the main Skim Fest weekend.
Skim Fest weekend
Watch everything run smoothly because we planned it so well !!
The weeks after skim fest
Immediately after the skim fest, all equipment and stock is moved back from Challaborough. We then need to count and log all the stock back into the shop and account for all the stock sold at the skim fest. More press releases are drawn up and sent out to all the local media, with some photos of the event.
Its then time to drop the US pros back to Heathrow airport to catch their flight out of the UK. After this is done, we can then catch up on all orders placed over the skim fest period, and assemble all the photos from the event and choose the best ones for the website. We then send off the cheque to the Devon Air Ambulance.
So that is a brief overview of what happens to get the Skim Fest off the ground. A lot of hard work is involved by a lot of people, and we are lucky to have a good group of skimmers which always offer to lend a hand. We really do appreciate your help guys!
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