Skate jam organizer Jesse Vargas recalls being a young participant in the Polson skate jam events that began in the mid-1990s.

Vargas, now a local real estate agent in both Missoula and the Mission Valley area, said he still has a passion for the sport that taught him the fundamentals that allowed him to become a successful entrepreneur.

Around five years ago, Vargas decided to transition from being a skater to a leader of the popular subculture that has become a great outlet for kids across the Pacific Northwestern region.

Vargas said his involvement in organizing the event became spontaneous.

“My involvement just happened,” Vargas explained. “I started working with the skate park project, and just sort of fell into becoming the event organizer.”

The format of the skate jam hasn’t changed much since the start of the skate jam in the mid-90s, though the level of participation and interest in the subculture has grown exponentially since the mid-90s, Vargas said.

“The skate jam has just been something fun to look forward to in the summertime,” Vargas said. “Since we got the skate park, it is great to get a lot of use out of it.”

Vargas credits the support he’s received from multiple sponsors within the community to make the skate event possible.

“We’ve gotten more support and sponsors over the years,” Vargas said.