Supporters filled the Vault of Midnight to overflowing last night for our first-ever Skate Art Show. Even the occasional thunderstorm didn't slow the turnout: an estimated 400 Ann Arborites of all ages made it downtown to the show, which featured dazzling art, amazing tunes, good food and a great time in support of the Skatepark.

The 2009 Ann Arbor Skatepark Art Show is tonight from 7:00-10:00 pm at the Vault of Midnight, 219 S. Main St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104.

We've had nearly 50 artists create works of art from skateboard decks. We'll be auctioning off the winning decks (as determined by our celebrity judges) in a live auction starting at 8pm. The rest of the decks will be silent-auctioned between 7 and 9:30 pm. Come bid on your favorite!

Here's the list of artists:

Just in case 50 skateboards designed by 50 local and national artists isn’t enough to get you down to the Vault this Friday, check THIS out. Our old buddy Andy Mac hooked us up and got us this Tony Hawk deck signed by the man himself, along with 24 other pro skaters. The signing was at the Clash at Clairmont, 2009.

Just a reminder to save the date for the 2009 Ann Arbor Skatepark Art Show on May 15 from 7:00-10:00 pm. The event will be held at the Vault of Midnight, 219 S. Main St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104.

Every year, the Ann Arbor Public Schools sponsors a Charity Fitness Challenge to encourage AAPS employees to increase their fitness level and help a charity at the same time. This year, five teachers have formed a team to help raise awareness of, and funds for, the Ann Arbor Skatepark.

The team is made up of Burns Park teachers Jill Fine, Anne Andrus, Sue Cramer and Trevor Staples, and Pattengill teacher Phil Campbell.

We're Twittering, and you're invited to follow what we're up to. Just click this link and follow away!

http://twitter.com/a2skatepark

We also have a Facebook group called A2skatepark.org, if that's up your alley.

Here's a fun way to get involved with, and support the Ann Arbor Skatepark. The Ann Arbor News is having a Peeps Contest! They are encouraging folks to create dioramas using Peeps.

http://www.mlive.com/living/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/03/ready_for_some_i...

We thought we'd sweeten the deal. If you enter a diorama in the Ann Arbor News' contest that has an Ann Arbor Skatepark theme, we'll put your name in a drawing for an Ann Arbor Skatepark prize pack. The prize pack will have a skatepark shirt, stickers, and other goodies, including items from Acme Mercantile and the Vault of Midnight.

Five Questions is where we do a short interview with a community member to get their take on skateboarding and the Ann Arbor Skatepark. The people you’ll read about here will be skaters, parents, business owners, government officials, and anyone else who wants to chime in on why it’s a good idea to have a skatepark in Ann Arbor. Five Questions will appear each week. Do you want to be interviewed for Five Questions, or know of someone who should be? Shoot us an email and we’ll get on it!