KingFest 2018 Skate Anarchy and Carnage in Texas Hill Country Review and photos by Lee Leal
Pools, pipes and punk rock is upon us. The first weekend of November is here, and that means it’s the 10th annual Doug King “KingFest 2018”. It’s a Texas version of a good’ ole fashion punk rock campout. Equipped with skate terrain that will satisfy most. It’s our Skatopia, Punk Rock Bowling, and Rumble in Ramona, all rolled into one.
This gathering is a fundraiser, for more ‘crete to build more tranny. Already housing a Texas-sized vert ramp, a kidney bowl, a cement mini ramp, another tight bowl in a distant corner of the property, and a snake run that leads to an 11’ bowl, it’s a grown man playground. Sunny skies and cool nights were in the forecast for this throw down in the Texas Hill Country.
Kingfest is the full on definition of anarchy and carnage. It’s unorchestrated chaos of all night skating, live music, bonfires, fireworks, storytelling, beer drinking, and mosh pits. It’s a skate fest to the highest degree. In this day of political division, it doesn’t matter to the “Brotherhood of Skateboarding”. There is no separation here. The mission is loud and clear. SKATE FOR FUN, SKATE to CREATE.
The woods surrounding the compound is a smorgasbord of tents. It’s a congregation of the same attitude. Skate to create… and then destroy. Like years past, skaters from every direction make the trip. Embassy, JAK’s (from all over), GTS Crew, San Antonio crew, Dallas crew, El Paso, It’s a Texas roundup. Too many names to mention. You never know who’s lurking in the woods.
Stumbling across C.O.F.F.I.N. from Australia in the middle of nowhere was unpredicted. I was told “This is nothing like camping in the “Outback”, you fuckers are crazy”. The stories will be told for years to come.
After all was said and done, no one died and no one got attacked by a wild boar, so it was all good. There might have been a few broken bones, and for sure a few broken hearts (due to Todd Prince), but everyone made it out alive. Even though it looks like a place 95% of the population would call a health hazard, we call it “Heaven”. The look on people’s faces as they left Sunday morning was epic.
Once you go to a Kingfest, you’ll always return. A few people learned how to drop in a vert ramp, and a few kids learned to carve the snakerun. A lot of people did things “for the first time”. It’s always a great time at Kingfest.
Special shout out to Kessler and crew, and to Doug King for allowing the mayhem to breathe life into the Texas Hill Country. Like I always say “The Punk Rock spirit is alive &. well in Texas”.
VIDEO BY CHANO AQUINO
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One Response
well done from a viewer in australia abijah ben artie and marrickville boy mischa there too/lots of luck and keep having fun/skate safge adn play music not toooo loud