Friday Night Skates

(click on images to enlarge, top picture from Santa Monica Friday Night Skate, Bottom picture is a map of the FNS route, with additional info.)

Here is an article that Jessica Stamp did a few years ago on the Santa Monica Friday Night Skaters, she dubbed "Santa Monica's Rolling Party".

As you may have read in a previous post, the Santa Monica Friday Night Skates will be having their 10 year anniversary this October (2006). Their cooking up something special to honor the occasion. Get a hold of them for the details. The phone number and web address are down below. Their October skates are usually festive even when not having anniversary parties, with everyone dressing up in costume as part of the Halloween, Day of the Dead, spirit.

See you out on the street, in skates!
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Santa Monica's Rolling Party
Jessica Stamp
Mirror contributing writer
March 26, 2003

Six years after its beginnings in 1997, the Santa Monica-based “L.A. Friday Night Skate continues to roll, but wants to get the word out to fellow inline skaters that thereÂ’s always room for more at this “moving party.”

Following on the wheels of its successful predecessor the San Francisco Midnight Rollers— which sees between 300 and 800 skaters participate each Friday— the Santa Monica chapter hosts a 10-mile skate through the streets of the Westside and, once a month, through Hollywood.

Although the 40 to 80 skaters who roll each Friday have not neared the numbers of the Bay Area group or Paris “Friday Night Fever Skate, which sees a staggering 25,000 in-line skaters each week (and enjoys a police escort), the small local group provides a warm atmosphere of a social gathering combined with sightseeing and a healthy workout. The more manageable size also allows most everyone to hear the variety of music played en route.

A 25-pound sound system travels with a particular skater along the trek each week, typically playing Disco and Funk music. Little wonder Friday Night Skaters call it a rolling party.

The creator of the Santa Monica skate goes by the single name of Christopher, and likens the night skate to a more traditional evening pastime. "It'’s like going to a club, except you don'’t stand around smelling smoke or getting drunk."

Though it would seem that only the physically fit could enjoy this adventure through one of America'’s largest cities, all types of skaters with all degrees of skating ability flock to the corner of Ocean Avenue at Colorado Avenue to join the ride through Los Angeles. Skaters meet at 8 p.m. each Friday night and begin the skate at 8:30.

The skate usually lasts about two-and-a-half-hours. The trail is intermittent, providing multiple stops for skaters to catch their breath and stick together. The conclusion of each evening usually results in a finale of skate dancing. Talented skaters provide entertaining tricks and moves while the boombox roars nearby.

Even more flavor is added to the event when themed skates are scheduled. Friday Night Skate has created buzz with its Halloween Skate— participants speed by unsuspecting pedestrians wearing wild costumes and full make-up. Last July 4th welcomed "The Spirit of '‘76"” when the skaters dressed in red, white, and blue garb and waved flags. Christopher also leads the yearly Skate Against Violence! Skate Against Hate! event, held in October.

Once a month, the skate begins at the corner of La Brea Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard and travels through Hollywood. The procession makes its way through the streets of bright lights and mixes with the denizens of the Sunset Strip.

L.A. Friday Night Skate isn'’t Southern California'’s only weekly inline skating group. Huntington Beach hosts a FunRoll skate on Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Skaters meet north of the Huntington Beach Pier at the amphitheater. After skating about 16 miles, FunRoll skaters meet for an optional social lunch in downtown Huntington Beach.

Finally, Long Beach hosts a Tuesday Night Skate extending 17 miles. The group meets at 7 p.m. and leaves the East end of the Marina Green parking lot at Shoreline Drive and Linden Avenue at 7:30 p.m. After 12 stops and a rest with refreshments at the halfway point, the trail ends two hours, some good music, fun, and exercise later.

For more information on Friday Night Skates, call (310) 57-SKATE,
or visit www.fridaynightskate.org


Related Posts:
- Friday Night Skates
- Critical Mass Origin
- Skate the 110 Freeway
- Women Inline Skaters(documentary)
- Hannah On Bikes

Recommended Links:
- Santa Monica/Hollywood Friday Night Skate
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum