Friends of the late Josh Evin, a local skateboarding legend, gathered on Friday at the store he opened in Castlegar to honour his memory with music, skateboarding and art.
Black Russian Skate Apparel in Castlegar was busy all afternoon with a live band, skateboarding demonstrations on ramps set up outside the store, and a show featuring works of a local artist who goes by the name MIA.
"It's all inspired by Josh," she said of her art works, which use old skateboard decks as their base material.
Evin, also known as "Black Russian," was a well-known professional skateboarder who died in a motorcycle accident in Blewett last June. He opened the Black Russian skate store in Castlegar in 2009.
In honour of his memory, several other events are coming up in Castlegar: "Brohymn" on June 30 at Element and "Tron’s Head Bang" at the Lion’s Head Pub on July 2. Both will raise money for Sk8 Shoes 4 Kids, a charity started by Evin's brother Justin which provides children with the equipment they need to begin skateboarding.
Another event is set for June 11 in Slocan City. The "Backyard Bowl Bash" at the Slocan City skatepark will feature live DJs and skateboarding demos.