The screeching of wheels, cheers and music filled the air at an old marble platform on the banks of the Bagmati River on Saturday as skateboarders marked the international Go Skateboarding Day.

The event, organised by a cluster of figures and organisations within the Kathmandu skateboarding community, moved across the city throughout the day. It began with a skate rally in the morning in Dhumbarahi, where skaters cruised through the streets waving Nepal’s flag. The group later gathered at an abandoned swimming pool to showcase their best tricks before settling in Thapathali for the main events.

At the marble platform, skaters competed in games of skate, where participants try to outdo each other with successive tricks, and also attempted the highest ollie.

Go Skateboarding Day was created in 2003 by the International Association of Skateboarding Companies to promote the sport and make it more accessible. The first events were held in California. Since then, it has expanded globally, with community organisers and businesses hosting meetups and events in dozens of countries.

Bikram Regmi, founder of Skaters Nepal, said he has seen the local scene grow significantly over the years. He began skateboarding in the 1980s, when there were few skaters and almost no facilities such as skateparks.

During his university years in the US, he said he was struck by the scale of skateparks and wished similar infrastructure had existed in Nepal when he started out. After returning in 2021, he set up his own skatepark to provide younger skaters with opportunities he did not have.

“We have the talent here, but we don't have the opportunity and resources,” Regmi said.

While skateboarding has grown in popularity in Nepal, young skaters still face barriers to progressing in the sport. Saturday’s gatherings, however, reflected a community that continues to expand across Kathmandu.