I suppose this is our version of a “State of the Union address” or should I say, “Skate” of the union?  READ FULL POST

We hope you join us for the 11th Anniversary Backyard Bash + LEMMEGETDATFOOTY Premiere on Friday May 31st.

Download, READ, print & sign the KOTV Waiver.  This is the most important step.  We can’t recognize any team as part of the contest unless this waiver gets submitted.  Got it?  Good.  (Just in case, here’s the download link again)

Next, make sure you and your homies can pull together the $25 KOTV Entry Fee donation that will go to the Northampton DIY Park.  A big part of KOTV is giving back and building more places for people to skate on top of all the good times you’re about ti have with KOTV.  5 skaters, $5 a head.  Easy.

King of the Valley kicks-off on Friday May 31st during the Homebase 11th Anniversary Backyard Bash + premiere of LEMMEGETDATFOOTY.

For the rest of the information you’ll need to know, CLICK HERE.

Consider yourself invited to the party . . .

From all of us at Homebase, we hope you can join us in celebrating our 11th year serving the skateboard community of the 610.

This week we will also be posting up the FULL DETAILS regarding:

• 11th Annual HBDAY Sale
• King of the Valley
• LEMMEGETDATFOOTY

But for now, Friday May 31st- SAVE THAT DATE!

Homebase was proud to play host to the international Make It Count Contest on Saturday at the Bethlehem Skateplaza and No Board Left Behind on Sunday at the shop.  We hope you were able to make it out but if not, here’s what you missed.

Thanks to Matt Pepe, Jamie Heim, Jared Jackson, Sean Smith, Exploitation Video Magazine and Instagram for the photos and video used in this post.

Thank you also to all the people who donated canned goods- we raised over 200lbs in canned goods which went to the New Bethany Ministries food bank to help feed families in the Southside.

Through the Homebase raffle wheel & the DC Shoes ring toss, we raised $407.47 for the future phases of the Bethlehem Skateplaza.  Just a reminder it is also your LAST CHANCE to buy a benefit brick with a custom engraving to support the plaza too.

Help Us Piece Together the Weekend.  If you you were there and have photos or video from Make It Count or No Board Left Behind, please feel free to share them with us for our final re-cap of the event.  Send any images or links to your edits to: Shop@Homebase610.com.  Here’s a little preview via Instagram posts. . . .

Evan Smith warming up with a frontside nosegrind around the corner and down the ledge on Friday before Make It Count.

Three true East Coast legends all in their own way, all at Make It Count to support us.  Dan Pensyl put the 610 on the map.  Jeff Pang put the East Coast on the map.  Donny Barley went West and showed everyone what being an East Coast Powerhouse is all about.  (Kessler is just all around awesome)

Reign Skate’s Kyle Knoblauch put down some of the best tricks of the day including this frontside blunt to flat.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A little after dinner crooked grind from Evan at one of my favorite restaurants on the Southside, Horns.  Thank you for an awesome meal, shots of Jameson & letting us skate your establishment.

No Board Left Behind: Buy an Element Deck, get a free crusier.  Thanks to everyone who came out to Homebase for this amazing deal.  If you stuck around, you probably witnessed the best alley session. . . .  or you might have seen it on Evan’s Vine.

Closed out the weekend with an Element x Homebase BBQ/Bonfire at the Pensyl’s house.

How was your Make It Count Weekend?  Send pics and video to Shop@Homebase610.com and share it with us.

That is why HOMEBASE WILL BE CLOSED ON SATURDAY, we want to be able to give this event 100% of our attention to make sure everyone who comes has a good time so we’ll tell you this once- please don’t come to the shop.

GIVE BACK:  Whether you’re skating or not, you can help give back to the community or the future of the Bethlehem Skateplaza.

• Spin the Raffle Wheel for a $1 donation to the Bethlehem Skateplaza for a chance to win prizes from Homebase, ABEmpire, The LVAC, Element & DC Shoes.
• Buy-A-Brick Benefit.  It’s your LAST CHANCE to buy your custom engraved benefit brick before we start construction on the entrance plaza where the bricks will be laid.  We hope to see completion this Summer.  Come get a Buy-A-Brick form.
• NCC x Homebase Summer Skate Camp.  Come pick up information on our upcoming skate camp starting in June through the NCC Horizons for Youth program.
• All skaters entering the competition will be required to donate a canned good which will be given to the New Bethany Ministries food bank in South Bethlehem.

REGISTRATION UPDATES:

• Registration starts at 12pm and ENDS at 1pm for both the 13 & under and 14 & over divisions.
• The entry fee to enter the competition is a canned good to be donated to New Bethany Ministries.

WHAT WILL YOU BE SKATING?

Evan Smith & Donny Barley skated the plaza earlier today but in the end, the entire Element Crew will decided which obstacles will we’ll hold the jam sessions on on Saturday for Make It Count.  There will be several sections chosen to find a well rounded skater to send on that ALL EXPENSES PAID trip to California.

Could it be the banks to two set? (Beto, back lipslide)

Will it be on the Phase 2 Gap/Rail?  Most likely.  (Izzy, backside noseblunt)

The 10 Set?  Probably.  (Nate, front lipslide)

The new rainbow rail?  Who has that pop?

We have to get some transition in there.  Will it be the Volcano?  (John, tail tapper)

Come back on Sunday for No Board Left Behind.

Element’s “Make It Count” is a project I’ve been personally working on bringing to the Bethlehem Skateplaza with Donny Barley.  It’s not coming here because Homebase was a huge dealer of Element products but because Donny was stoked on what we’ve been doing in our skate community and wanted Element to be a part of it.  To know a pro skater I’ve looked up to recognizes the work everyone at Homebase puts in to keep our scene growing is an honor.

Homebase will be closed on Saturday to make sure everyone can have a good time at the event we’ve all worked hard to make happen. FULL DETAILS for Saturday’s skate contest are HERE.

Homebase will be open on Sunday for the No Board Left Behind project.  We’ll have a limited supply of Element Decks for sale ($55).  When you buy one, Donny & Evan will cut up your old deck into a cruiser board and give you the trucks, wheels and bearings FOR FREE.  $55 bucks gets you a new deck and complete cruiser- not a bad deal.

After the Make it Count Weekend we’ll begin promoting the long awaited King of the Valley video contest you’ve probably heard rumors about.  Lost Soul Skateboards and Homebase are partnering up to bring a Thrasher “King of the Road” type contest to the 610 but all we need was one more sponsor. . . . . and we got it.

Converse has stepped up in a HUGE way to back this contest.  We’re talking throwing in for a cash prize, free shoes and helping us throw a Go Skateboarding Day party when we premiere all the videos you guys will make.

Sound awesome? 

Better start rounding up your 5 skater team and get ready to enter fast because there’s going to be prizes for that too.  More details to come but this will all start on May 31 when we debut the new Homebase video as part of our 11 Year Anniversary.

It’s thanks to people like you who support these things we do that we’ve grown to be 11 Years Strong.

To really get to know who this guy is to skateboarding, read his Chrome Ball Incident interview HERE.  Basically, when you think of East Coast skaters who skate with power, style and speed- that’s because of Donny Barley.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Baaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-ly.” – as heard in the intro to his Toy Machine “Welcome to Hell” part.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Get busy living, or get busy dying.  You’re God damn right.” -from the intro of his Element “World Tour” part.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fountain of Youth.  Donny’s now closed skateshop in New England.  To this day, it’s one of my favorite names for a skateshop.

kGQMRfxNhh4Fountain of Youth.

Click here to view the embedded video.

See you at Make it Count in one week!

Full contest write-up coming soon. . .

Click on the image for a closer look.

Pace yourself.  There’s a lot of music, art and sales going on all over the Southside today so here’s a schedule to keep you on track.  If you start to think time is passing “funny” just look at that watch and be sure to check out:

• The Trouble City Allstars from 11am-1pm on the Main Stage on 3rd & New
• Get a T-shirt printed in front of Homebase by The L.V.A.C. then get it tie dyed across the street at Loose Threads.
• While you at Homebase, try the chili Griddle 145 made for us.  It has bacon in it.  End of story.
• Then check out the Homebase Sidewalk Sales (inside the shop): $10 hats, $10 tee’s and a 50% Off Spring/Summer Rack.
• Then grab an Almost Doesn’t Count T-Shirt to help kids in need get new skateboards this Summer thanks to Joe Stylez & ABEmpire too.
• B104′s Cap Cee will be DJ’ing live all day long too in front of Homebase.

Then get back to the Main Stage for Homebase’s Hottest Pepper Eating Contest at 2:30pm before we announce the winner of the chili cook-off.

Contestants who sign away the safety of their mouths, tongue and stomach will eat a series of peppers ranging from raw Jalapenos to Ghost Peppers for a $250 Homebase Gift Certificate and more.

Just remember, if you did not pre-order your chili tasting passport don’t stress.  When the munchies hit you, just stop by any of the local restaurants and they will be selling samples of chili for a small cash fee.  Prices vary from spot to spot.  Here’s a map to help you out with your journey. . .

Be sure you vote for the Homebase x Griddle 145 “BVSE Fo’ Yo Face” Chili when you cast your vote for “People’s Choice Chili.”  Not because we’re your favorite shop in all of Southside but because we never win.

And we should win sometimes.  Happy 420 y’all. . . . on weed or not.