site.bta"Burgas Skate Open" Celebrates Tenth Anniversary with Multiple Events

Photographic and art exhibitions, thematic video screenings and a concert feature in the programme of the tenth edition of the international skateboarding competition, Burgas Skate Open, between August 16 to August 18, organizers from Skate Club Sliven Association and Amnesia Skate Shop said on Tuesday.

The event will begin on August 16 with a skateboarding demonstration on the roof of a local shopping centre, followed by a concert featuring local hip-hop artists Vladymoney & Mudkid, founder and organiser of Burgas Skate Open Martin Dechev told BTA.

The "Lakardii" (Tall Tales) photo and art exhibition by Vladimir Drandarski and Klementina Savova will also be unveiled. The two artists combine traditional photography and digital art to explore myths, legends, and untold stories from the skateboarding community. Drandarski uses an analogue camera to capture the authenticity of everyday moments, part of a skater's everyday life. Savova's drawings reveal an imaginative inner world through the depth of seemingly ordinary moments.

This will be the first time the International Congress Centre will host part of the festival, a Veliko Balabanov photo exhibition. The exhibition is set to open on August 17. It features photographs taken over the past decade during Balabanov's skateboarding trips across Bulgaria and Europe. Balabanov, a skateboarder for 20 years and a photographer and videographer for 10 years, calls the exhibition his time capsule project. Through imperfect shots captured on classic photographic film, the exhibition preserves the spirit and emotion of skateboarding culture, which for some is not just a sport but also a way of life and a family, Balabanov said.

A graffiti workshop led by local pioneer Ivan Yankov – Esteo, is set to take place on Saturday afternoon. Yankov, who recently painted the parking area of the Burgas Regional Library, will share his experience. Participants can join in using materials provided by the organisers for free.

Participants and guests of the competition can watch a selection of thematic skate films and videos at the open-air stage Snail. Some of these films will premiere. Тhe selection features "No Tigers" video by Amnesia Skate Shop, the "Monument" video by a local skate team, a new film project featuring Deo Katunga, and the video collaboration by plick052 and hillgoons titled "+052/62", among others.

The upcoming anniversary skateboarding competition will feature participants from several countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, and others. Qualifications will be held on August 17, followed by the finals the next day at the Izgrev residential complex skate park. A three-member jury will judge the competitors in five age categories for both boys and girls. The event will offer material awards and cash prizes for the top winners.

DJs will create a musical atmosphere for participants, guests, and the audience, which usually includes teenagers and families with children of all ages. Organisers said that food, drinks, and other entertainment and surprises are also planned for visitors.