Before you become a seasoned skateboarder able to pull off the perfect crooked grind, noseblunt slide or ollie 540, you first must start with the basics. And a good place to do that is with the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department.

Starting this month, the department will be offering Beginner Skateboarding classes at the Scott Adams Memorial Skatepark (2016 Brickyard Park Drive). Classes will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Monday from September 18 through October 16.

Participants will learn the basics of skateboarding in a friendly, safe environment. Parents are encouraged to remain onsite during the class. Bring your own skateboard if you like. Water will be provided.

The cost for the lessons is $25 for city residents and $30 for non-city residents. The lessons are open for boys and girls ages 6 to 12. The maximum number of registrants is 10.

To register for the lessons, visit bit.ly/47S749e. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “skateboarding” in the search bar. For information about other classes, programs and events from Kingsport Parks and Recreation, visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

Though the weather is still warm and there’s plenty of activities to do outdoors, kids will soon be going back to school. But before that happens, the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department wants to have a big “bash” to round out the summer vacation season.

On July 29, the department will be hosting an “End of Summer” Bash at the Kingsport Miracle Field (2017 Brickyard Park Drive). The free event will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will include kickball, yard games, free slushes to the first 100 people and more.

Families of all ages are encouraged to come out and enjoy a Saturday evening of outdoor fun and games with your Model City neighbors.

Kingsport Parks and Recreation will soon begin accepting registrations for the 2023 Fall Adult Softball Leagues.

Teams can have a maximum of 20 players on their roster. Divisions offered include Church, Industrial, Seniors 50+, Co-Ed and Men’s Open.

The entry fee is $400 per team with a $10 non-resident fee for all players who live outside the Kingsport city limits (max: $50). Registration will take place from July 24 through August 11.

To register, click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “softball” in the search bar.

All games will be played at Brickyard Park and the season will begin the week of August 21. Participants must live inside the Kingsport city limits, attend Kingsport City Schools and/or own Kingsport city property to be eligible to participate.

Children of all ages interested in taking the bait and learning how to cast a rod can do so through a program offered by the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department.

Throughout the month of June, the department will be offering Fishing 101 – a four-week program that will teach children the basics of fishing, including how to bait a hook, tie knots and what bait can be used to catch certain fish.

The sessions will take place every Tuesday in June (6, 13, 20 and 27) from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Allandale Mansion ponds. The cost is $30 per person and the fee includes bait and the four instructional sessions. Participants will have to bring their own rods.

To register for this program, click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “fishing” in the search bar.

For more information about other Kingsport Parks and Recreation programs, visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

The City of Kingsport is encouraging everyone to participate in National Trails Day this Saturday (June 3) by going outside and either walking, running or biking along one of the many trails found within our fair city.

National Trails Day is an annual event held on the first Saturday in June and is sponsored by the American Hiking Society. In Kingsport, you can join in on the fun with these scheduled events:

Guided History Hike at Bays Mountain Park (10 a.m.): Take a four-mile round trip hike along sections of Lakeside and Lake Road Trails listening to stories about the families who once lived on the mountain.

The cost is $5 per person and the event is expected to take approximately three hours. You can register by clicking on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “history hike” in the search bar.

Griddy on the Greenbelt (10 a.m.): Families of all ages can come out to the Indian Trail Drive trailhead (behind PetSmart) and participate in a dance that’s taken TikTok by storm. Participants will perform the griddy dance at various stations with music and children’s activities (sidewalk chalk and bubbles), then after crossing the finish line, families can go to the Marble Slab and receive a 20% group discount on their order.

Each year, tens of thousands of hikers, bikers, paddlers, horseback riders, trail clubs, federal and local agencies, land trusts, and businesses come together on National Trails Day to advocate for, maintain, clean up and celebrate trails and nature.

Last year, more than 700 sites across the U.S. brought people together for various recreational and volunteer opportunities. More than 12,314 trail volunteers built and maintained more than 347 miles of trails as part of the festivities.

“From Borden Park to the Kingsport Greenbelt to Bays Mountain Park, Kingsport has trails for all ages and all abilities,” said Travis Sensabaugh, program administrator for Kingsport Parks and Recreation. “Even if it’s only for 20 minutes, we encourage you and your family to go outside this Saturday and participate in National Trails Day.”

You can also share your trail experience by tagging #NationalTrailsDay and @AmericanHiking on your social media channels.