It’s almost that time of year again; the days are longer, birds are chirping, and a skate event awaits at the end of every week. To kick it off right, the Ithaca Skate Jam is coming back again for its third straight year and is guaranteed to bring the heat back to the east coast. It’s going down on April 26th from 9AM-6PM, so mark your calendars now.

I think it’s safe to say that after the last two years, Ithaca has become the premiere non-race downhill skateboard event on the east coast. The guys at Comet Skateboards know their way around ramp building and have selected one of the most suitable roads for the event you could hope for, a perfect combo to see some gnarly tricks and skaters pushing each other to make every run better than the last. The event also brings some pretty heavy hitters out to show their stuff, with most of Comet’s team in attendance. While it’s changed a bit this year with the loss of Liam Morgan, we can still hope to see some of the crew like former east coaster Brian Peck, Jared Henry, Eric Jensen, “Big Dave” Tannaci, Nick Ronzani and others. Of course, you’ll also see familiar faces from up and down the east coast tearing it up and showing everyone how to mix it up from just the usual “go fast, big slide” style you see so often and make full use of the ramps and hills.

The Hill

This year the venue for the hill is changing from Buffalo Street to Lake Street, adding a little right hand corner into the mix. It’s partially located in the Ithaca Falls Natural Area and is sure to make for a bit more spectator space as well as a beautiful setting to skate in. The hill is 0.29 miles long with an average grade of 10.79%; this means you’ll be able to pick up speed quickly and recover from slides fast, so you can link together a nice run.

As in years past, expect the run to be full of some great ramps, wall-rides, and pole jams to make things super interesting. If you haven’t had the chance to ride a course like this before, we suggest putting a few hours in at your local skatepark.

Here’s what the guys from Comet had to say about it:

The hill is steep and we’re filling it with shred-worthy goodness. We look at this hill every day and wish there were no cars on it. On April 26th that will come true and we are stoked to skate it with you and all of the features we’re going to build.

Registration/Schedule

Registration is open now over in the Comet Webstore for $40. This gets you 9 hours of skating on the hill, a gift bag with free swag, 33% off discount code for gear after the event, prizes and give-aways throughout the day, and a chance to skate and chill with the Comet pros. If you’re under 18 you’re going to need a waiver signed by a parent or guardian, if you’re over 18 you can sign it yourself.

Check-in will run at the hill from 9AM-11AM, with the hill open to skating as soon as you’re checked-in.

Lodging

There are a few options for lodging in the area, with the most popular one being camping at Robert H. Treman State Park. It’s the closest camping site, being just a few miles outside of town, and will be full of other skaters headed to the event. We’ll list the options, as outlined on the Facebook event, below.

Robert H. Treman State Park – Camping

Located just a few miles outside of town this is the best camping option. Each site can have 6 adults and spaces cost about $25-$30/night, with a discount for people who live in-state. Reservations can be made here.

Hillside Inn

Closest lodging option to the hill.

607-272-9507

http:// www.hillsideinnithaca.com/ index.php

Econo Lodge

Just what you’d expect from an Econo Lodge. Amenities close-by and some cheap rooms.

“Close to the Ithaca Mall and a lot of food options and a few miles from the hill. Let them know you’re with the Comet Ithaca Skate Jam to get the discounted rates.

60 rooms available at $124 per night

Shuttle available to airport only

Complimentary Breakfast, WIFI, & Parking

Group name: Ithaca Skate Jam rates

Deal Expires:March 25th”

(607) 257-1400

http://www.econolodge.com/ hotel-ithaca-new_york-NY127

La Tourelle

La Tourelle is a hotel/spa that sounds like a great option if mom is bringing a whole gang with her but doesn’t want to hang out at the hill all day. The organizers posted the below, note that these may have been deal prices for the event (the promotion was only good through the 25th of March – but you could still ask).

“La Tourelle is an awesome spa and the choice for you if you want to make the weekend a nice vacation for you while your kids skate all weekend. Accommodations and deals:

‘We offer the following room categories and rates available for your group:

Traditional King Rooms Up to 12 available $180.00 + 13% tax

Deluxe Fireplace King Rooms Up to 8 available $ 220.00 + 13% tax

Double King or Double Queen Rooms Up to 2 available $ 220.00 + 13% tax

Specialty Rooms and Suites TBA'”

(607) 273-2734

http://www.latourelle.com/

Argos Inn

According to the organizers the Argos Inn is “Located right in downtown Ithaca a short walk from the best coffee and food in town. This is another option if you’re looking for a nice weekend vacation in Ithaca.”

(607) 319-4437

http://argosinn.com/

So – are we going to see you there? Where are you staying? Sound off in the comments and let us know! We’ll keep this post updated with information as we learn more.