Story & origin

Simple Session 24 is set to return to its hometown of Tartu on August 24–25, promising a spectacular festival and a thoroughly enjoyable time for all! The event will take place in the historic Tartu Comb Factory, a former industrial site transformed into an exciting event venue. This intriguing location will add an extra thrill to the already exhilarating contest.

Prepare to witness a hundred of the world’s most skilled BMX riders and skateboarders compete on a newly designed 700m2 contest course by the renowned designer Nate Wessel. This exciting event promises great talent, with athletes showcasing their creativity and skill in BMX and skateboarding.

Skateboarding and BMX embody the spirit of creativity, and Simple Session embodies this ethos. By hosting the series at Tartu’s fresh, vibrant venue, we aim to elevate the contest experience for athletes and spectators alike, bringing us closer to our fans and reconnecting with the essence of these sports and our origins.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. Simple Session 24 will also feature its notoriously amazing four-day party & concert program, running from Thursday to Sunday, August 22-25. The festivities will extend over five days, from August 21-25, transforming into an all-encompassing festival experience. Expect live concerts, parties, film screenings, workshops, exhibitions, pop-up events, and authentic street jams.

Moreover, Simple Session is proud to be a part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 main program, further solidifying its significance in the cultural landscape.

We’re looking forward to seeing you all in August 2024!

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

• 100 of the world’s best BMX riders and skateboarders from all over the globe
• Two days of an indoor contest on a fresh 700m2 Wessel-designed course
• Best Trick contests
• Four days of parties and concerts (Thu–Sun, August 22–25). Tickets will be available separately.
• Visit Estonia miniramp jam on riverboat
• Photo exhibition in the city center
• Jams on Wed–Fri 21-23.08 at spots around Tartu
• Open skatepark (Tue-Sun, August 27- September 1)

Boasting a history spanning 24 years, Simple Session is not only one of the longest-running action sports events and one of the most celebrated and prominent brands in the BMX and skateboarding community. Loved by both fans and athletes worldwide, Simple Session is highly valued by everyone, from die-hard enthusiasts to video part riders and even Olympic competitors.

Simple Session was born in 2000, when brothers Risto and Mario Kalmre, alongside Piret Kull, launched this event series. Starting as a small-town competition, it has now blossomed into one of the world’s largest and most prestigious BMX and skateboarding contests, broadcasting to hundreds of millions of fans globally, all from the small nation of Estonia.

Being in the spotlight of the action sports industry and beyond, Simple Session has grown to become one of the world’s most international extreme sports events. Each year, it attracts around 200 top athletes from over 30 countries. Over the years, the event has played host to many of the world’s renowned professional BMX riders and skateboarding superstars, such as Tony Hawk, Sky Brown, Ryan Sheckler, Dave Mirra, and Daniel Dhers, along with hundreds of other VIPs and emerging talents in action sports.

As a beacon of Estonian action sports for over two decades, Simple Session is more than just a spectacular event in a massive stadium with bright lights. It encapsulates myriad elements that reflect the richness of the action sports culture. Simple Session offers everything from video premieres and film festivals to live concerts, parties, photo and art exhibitions, workshops, and street jams. Above everything, it is a global gathering of friends, making it a unique and unmissable event in the action sports world.

Simple Session’s international activities, which introduce Tallinn, Tar,tu and Estonia as attractive tourism destinations for action sports and culture, are supported by the European Regional Development Fund (199 850 euros for three events 2023-2025).