Do’s and don’ts for a DIY-event.
First of all don’t be afraid to dream big, because nothing teaches you more than having your dreams crushed. The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
Do get yourself a solid crew, if you can’t trust your homies to fill your spot when needed all hell will eventually break loose. For us it was the luxury of having our own guys plan and execute the whole event without too much middle men busting our balls. Also the companies giving us their support were more than open with our visions about how we wanted the event to happen. Spitfire, Lamina, Concrete Proof, Alis, Helsinginkadun Kesäteatteri, thank you so much. We couldn’t have done this without you!

Do keep your concept simple enough. Big stuff, small stuff, best tricks, best slams, best hype & everything between. Try to give as much as you can back to your community. They are you, without them you are nothing. A simple pack of stickers and a high five can give a local kid the extra boost needed to keep skating. A simple drop-in in front of a huge crowd can be huge deal and the single most hardest thing to do. We have all been there. When your legs start to wobble while people are watching it takes alot of cojones to keep your head straight.

Keep people hydrated, keep your grill warm & keep the music playing. A good DJ along with a skilled hypeman / MC can be a deal breaker for a passer-by to take interest. Also keep your local heros blazing through the competition, maybe even bust out the big guns for the crowd. Get hyped, stay hyped.

All in all we are blessed to make such an event happen in Suvilahti DIY – a place whose uncertain future deserves all the support we, as a collective, can give. If even a single new person gets involved it can make a huge difference. Trust me, you can never have too many people supporting your cause.

As for the event itself… well, come next year and witness the madness and mayhem yourself. Words fail me to describe the intensity, joy and raw skating that went down in those couple of hours. Check out the pictures and video. It’s a tiny peep hole into our idea of a good event. In simple but true words: by homies, for homies. See you next time, come get some! – The Suvilahti Crew
Words by Tuukka Rautopuro
Photos by Keke Leppälä













Filmed & edited by Mikko Björk and Jaro Serlas
SAVE SUVILAHTI DIY! Sign petition to save the park:
www.petitions.net/savesuvilahtidiy