All you need to do to understand that skateboarding is absolutely 100 per cent a sport—and a very difficult one at that—is to head to the Britannia Courts and spend an afternoon watching the boarders do things that, physically speaking, make absolutely no sense. You’re jumping in the air, and then you’re landing on a moving board with wheels, and then you’re just not falling over? Pardon?

But watching professionals compete surely takes things to a whole new level. Which is just one of the many draw’s of this weekend’s 7 Gen Skate Festival, taking place at the PNE Forum.

There’s a pro contest, featuring names that skate nerds will definitely know, including Matt Berger, Micky Papa, and Donovan Rice, to name a few. There’s also an amateur contest, with hopefuls vying for the $1,000 first-place prize; a marketplace to shop for gear and souvenirs; a concert lineup of local bands; and a focus on Indigenous sharing, including opening and closing ceremonies, dances, and blessings.

Just try not to gasp too loudly when you see someone do something that seems to inexplicably defy gravity.

7 Gen Skate Festival

When: November 11 and 12

Where: PNE Forum

Tickets: Starting at $19, available online