Jacksonville's Thriving Skateboard Community
Kona Skatepark is one of the most iconic skateboarding parks in the world, and you can experience it here, in Arlington. In Skating the World's Oldest Skatepark, a short documentary (produced in 2025), professional skateboarders Dalton and Kanaan Dern team up with their brother and filmmaker, Destin Dern, to give a history lesson on Kona and how it has survived three economic recessions and all the ups and downs of the action sport industry to become the "longest privately owned skatepark" in the world via Guinness Book of World Records.
Watch & Discuss
Attend the 27-minute screening during 1st Wednesday Art Walk at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, at the Main Library. A 30-minute conversation will follow with Martin Ramos, owner of Kona Skatepark.
About Kona Skatepark
Since it first opened in 1977, skaters from across the nation have made the trek to this sprawling concrete mecca that helped shape skateboarding history. Kona has been home to a lot of “firsts” and groundbreaking moments like the invention of the modern “vert” ramp, which has probably impacted skateboarding the most. The skatepark features concrete hills and a “snake run,” where guests can take a seemingly infinite number of paths. It’s even been incorporated into Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 game.
In 1979, the Ramos family—with the support of the community—reopened the park out of bankruptcy and dedicated it to “The Youth of Jacksonville.” From this thriving skateboard community, spirit and culture, more than 20 professional skateboarders have come out of Jacksonville in the past 40 years.
