Skateboarding, Art and Music at Second Funkfest

  • Student photographer Damien Ritter captured this skateboarder in the air during Saturday’s Funkfest at 2nd Nature Skatepark in the Highland Avenue Industrial Park.

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  • Music was a large part of Funkfest. Damien Ritter caught the dj working the craft.

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  • Skateboarding is an art form that resembles ballet as seen in this image Damien Ritter caught.

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  • Artist Skatch Face, who lives in Poughkeepsie, works with spray paint. He created this piece during Funkfest. Other of his images are on display in Beacon and Worcester, Ma. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)

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  • The artist Skatch Face stands back to access his mural which will stay at 2nd Nature. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)

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  • Robin Sarica of Hopewell Junction has been skateboarding for four years. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)

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  • This image was spray painted by the artist Skatch Face. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)

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  • The view of the skateboarding park from its second floor where more areas to skate are located. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)

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  • 2nd Nature Skatepark owner Doug Brown. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)

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June 1, 2023

The crowd of some 100 people listened to music, saw art being created, skated indoors and outdoors at the Second Funkfest hosted by Whadafunk at the 2nd Nature Skateboard Park on Saturday. John Gutierrez, founder of the streetwear brand Whadafunk wanted an event where like minded people could hang out and meet each other and feel like they are part of something special.

In a recent report produced by New York Presbyterian, social isolation is an indicator connected to overall well being. The report notes that mental health is impacted, especially for adolescents, when there is social isolation. With events like Funkfest, Gutierrez is attempting to create an environment that runs counter to social isolation.

2nd Nature Skatepark, the venue where Gutierrez hosted Funkfest, has been in Peekskill since 2011. The 8,000 square foot space in an industrial park has an active community who want to learn, practice and enjoy the sport. 2nd Nature owner Doug Brown, 43, began skating when he was 13 growing up in Pleasantville.  He recalls being the only person he knew who was practicing the sport until he saw another kid in Mt. Kisco one day and eventually another kid in Chappaqua.

2nd Nature Skatepark owner Doug Brown in the upstairs space of his skatepark.  (Photo by Regina Clarkin)

He opened his first skatepark in Sleepy Hollow in 2004 and eventually found the space at Highland Industrial Park in 2011. The sport has grown in popularity over the years, but the spaces to skate are limited in this area.