Dew Tour is known for its world-class action sports competitions in both summer and winter, and for most, the event is watched on television or via livestream. Those who have the chance to attend the free events in person have the opportunity to enjoy the variety of fun activations at the event in addition to watching their heroes compete. This summer’s Dew Tour in Long Beach, Calif. has strong art activations interwoven throughout the weekend, focusing on renowned artists and unique programs. Visitors to Dew Tour will experience live art competitions, local artist furniture creations, skateboard art, teaching programs for local students and much more. The entire Dew Tour is FREE and open to the public, June 28 – July 1 and is located outdoors at the Long Beach Convention Center.
“One of our main goals at Dew Tour is to integrate the local community as much as we can – makers, creators, drivers of the local culture – that makes Long Beach what it is,” explained Scott Seiver, Dew Tour art director. “While the competition and athletes are the heart and soul of Dew Tour, we also celebrate the culture and creators that bring life to the sport and this event, commissioning artists to partner with Dew Tour in various on-site mediums. We strive to include as much of the local community as we can; not only to give back, but to truly showcase their knowledge and love for their city. In more ways than one, the community gives back to Dew Tour just as much as we do them.”
Los Angeles-based artist and painter Luke Pelletier’s artwork is prominently featured in this year’s Dew Tour Long Beach logo, venue signage and branding, as well as within most of the 2018 Dew Tour merchandise and at Mountain Dew’s Creators Lab. Pelletier, who has always been surrounded by skate culture, is heavily influenced by the seasonal economies and the multi-level relationships between tourists and locals. Much of Pelletier’s art blurs the lines between celebrating and condemning a culture that agrees to be taken advantage of while equally taking advantage of other cultures. His work is filled with personal anecdotes, dark humor, both dualities, and contradictions.
Secret Walls is the world’s largest live art event where artists battle against each other in a dramatic, timed contest of artistic skill. This timed event features one white wall per team and nothing else except black markers or acrylic paint. For 12 years, Secret Walls has traveled the world staging these beautiful illustration battles to the delight of the crowd, who at the end of the 90-minute competition, decides the winner. The Secret Walls event will be held on Friday, June 29 at 5 pm.
Future Innovators
Dew Tour Future Innovators is a STEAM based program – which uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math as access points for teaching students. The program was created last year in collaboration with Long Beach Unified School District, which brings approximately 250 high school students from the district to Dew Tour for exclusive access to speakers, athletes and the venue itself. This year’s Future Innovators day will be held Thursday, June 28 before the venue opens to the public.
Part of the student’s morning will include School Walls, which follows the same rules as its parent competition Secret Walls, yet aims to nurture the talents of school students. Members of the Secret Walls team encourage students to illustrate and inform them about the negative impact of graffiti and vandalism. They will see that Secret Walls competitions extract the same elements and thrills that wall-taggers or train-bombers seek, but placed instead in a spectated, legal space. Students will also learn choreographed street dancing led by renowned Long Beach dance instructor Steve “Zulu Gremlin” Roybal of Homeland Cultural Center.
Long Beach Artist Eric Trine Designs at Dew Tour
For the second consecutive year, Long Beach artist Eric Trine and his business Amigo Modern will design, build and furnish the Dew Tour livestream on-air host set. Additionally, the Amigo Modern team will create and build an entire outdoor lounge area, including colorful custom tables, chairs, and couches. The lounge area will be open at Dew Tour on the Green located in the Rainbow Lagoon.
Love & Guts Art and Skate Exhibition and Legends Jam Sessions
In 2005, legendary skateboarders Pat Ngoho, Lance Mountain and Steve Olson started an art show series called Love + Guts. The Love + Guts art show symbolizes the parallel between skateboarding and art and will be featured at Dew Tour throughout the weekend. Additionally, a group of eight legends will skate in two Love + Guts jam sessions on the Park Course on Saturday, June 30 at 2pm and Sunday, July 1 at 1:15 pm with fan meet and greets taking place before each jam session. Skaters include Ngoho, Mountain, Olson, Steve Caballero, Christian Hosoi, Long Beach business owner Salman Agah (owner of Pizzanista) and Craig Stecyk III.
Lakai x Mountain Dew Capsule Designed by Swanski
This year, Dew Tour title sponsor Mountain Dew and skate lifestyle brand LAKAI worked with artist and designer Pawel Swanski to create a unique streetwear capsule collection that will be released at Dew Tour and Agenda in Long Beach and will be available for purchase at specialty lifestyle and image skate accounts nationwide mid-July. The collection includes footwear, tees, and hats and will be featured on site at both locations where consumers will be able to purchase a limited quantity of select items. Swanski, who utilizes his strong connection to art, music and skateboarding to create eye-grabbing original pieces, will be live painting at the Lakai booth at Dew Tour on Friday, June 29.
Dew Tour is FREE and open to the public each day of the event, VIP Tickets are available for purchase at DewTour.com.
To see the most up-to-date schedule, athlete lineup, competition schedule and action-packed video content, visit Dewtour.com, download the updated free Dew Tour App ( available on iOS and Google Play Store), and follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
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