With $50,000 in Prize Money on the Line, the Three-Day Event Blends Competition, Culture and Community at the Global Epicenter of Skateboarding.
VENICE, Calif. (Aug. 7, 2025) — Red Bull Origin returns to Venice Beach from Sept. 5 to 7, transforming the iconic neighborhood into a celebration that bridges skateboarding’s historic past with its dynamic future. Timed to coincide with the city’s 120th anniversary and looking ahead to the LA 2028 Summer Games, the event challenges today’s top skateboarders on meticulously rebuilt versions of legendary Southern California skate spots.
The competition course will feature historically significant obstacles, including the fire hydrant famously spun on by Natas Kaupas, the renowned Venice hubba, the iconic Venice Pavilion wallride, and the double kink rail first conquered by Mark “Gonz” Gonzales. Each recreated feature pays tribute to the groundbreaking moments that shaped street skating.
2019 Red Bull Wall Ride. © VenicePaparazzi.com
“There’s a spirit of skateboarding that endures in Dogtown, and Red Bull Origin sets out to connect the skate community with its history,” says Christian Hosoi, a skateboarding pioneer and cultural icon of the Dogtown era. “It’s great that Red Bull is educating people on the roots of skateboarding in the heart of Venice Beach, Santa Monica and Dogtown. This type of event speaks to people who want to understand what it was like back in the day.”
Skateboarding’s origin story could not be described without mention of the sunny streets and vibrant culture of Venice Beach and Santa Monica. The area became ground zero for a cultural shift in the 1970s, when the Z-Boys and other pioneers turned schoolyards, pools and sidewalks into stages that sparked punk and skate subcultures still felt today. Now, in the present day, Venice Beach remains a beacon of counterculture, with Red Bull Origin giving today’s generation a chance to build on the legacy built beneath their wheels.
“Venice has always been a skate mecca! The energy and history make it one of a kind,” said Mark Gonzales, a pioneer of modern skateboarding. “I’m excited to see Red Bull Origin bring that spirit to life and reimagine the spots that shaped so many of us. That double kink rail has lots of story tied to it, and I can’t wait to see how today’s skaters make it their own.”
With free admission, fans can experience firsthand the seismic impact Venice Beach has had on skateboarding culture as legends and rising talent compete for a share of $50,000 in prize money. The event marks a significant chapter in skateboarding’s return home, building momentum toward the sport’s debut at the LA 2028 Summer Games. Don’t miss the chance to witness skateboarding’s evolution in the very place where it all began.
2019 Red Bull Wall Ride. © VenicePaparazzi.com
ABOUT RED BULL ORIGIN
Red Bull Origin is a challenge-based skateboarding event that unites generations of skaters to celebrate the cities that shaped street skateboarding’s global culture. The three-day event reimagines iconic skate spots, rebuilding historic obstacles to test today’s top talent on legendary terrain. Featuring pioneers, icons, and rising stars, Red Bull Origin honors skateboarding’s legacy while empowering the next generation to carry it forward.
EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday, September 5th
Venice Skate Park
- 5:00 PM: Bowl Jam
- 6:00 PM: Head-to-Head Death Races
Windward Plaza
- Immediately Following: Fire Hydrant Challenge
Saturday, September 6th
Venice Basketball Courts
- 1:00 PM: Wallride Showdown
Windward Plaza
- 4:00 PM: Main Event
- 6:00 PM: Best Trick
Sunday, September 7th
Windward Plaza
- 11AM: Public Skate Session #1
- 12:30PM: Public Skate Session #2
- 2PM: Public Skate Session #3
COURSE HIGHLIGHTS
Fire Hydrant
First filmed in 1989 for Santa Cruz’s Streets on Fire, Natas Kaupas ollied onto a fire hydrant along the West Los Angeles boardwalk and spun two full rotations. The move, later known as the “Natas spin,” quickly became a symbol of Dogtown creativity. Though just outside Venice, the hydrant was part of the broader Santa Monica and Venice scene. This replica honors that moment and invites today’s skaters to reinterpret a street skating landmark.
Double Kinked Rail
Inspired by the handrail beside a double set of stairs in Santa Monica, this replica honors Mark “Gonz” Gonzales’ influential boardslide from Video Days in 1991. At a time when handrails were largely untouched, Gonzales’ commitment to sliding both kinks helped usher in a new era of street skating. Its inclusion reflects how the Dogtown and Santa Monica scene pushed beyond curbs and banks into more technical terrain.
Venice Hubba
Inspired by the original Venice Pavilion, a gathering place for Dogtown skaters in the 1970s and 1980s, this hubba pays tribute to the pioneers who turned curbs, benches, and ledges into canvases for innovation. It is widely seen as the feature that helped propel the next movement of street skateboarding.
Wallride
At the Venice Pavilion, Dogtown skaters discovered that walls weren’t boundaries but opportunities. With no transitions, they rode straight up graffiti-covered concrete, pioneering the wallride in the mid-1980s. This feature pays tribute to those early experiments and the style that defined an era.
For more information, visit redbull.com/origin and follow @redbullusa and @redbullskate for updates.
Venice Paparazzi was on the scene!
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