Grit to Grind Book Release Event

Celebrate the release of Grit to Grind with members of the Montana Skatepark Association, including MSA President Chris Bacon and author/photographer Andy Kemmis, as they share an excerpt from the MSA’s stunning hardcover book published by Chronicle Books.

Long before skateboard culture went mainstream, a group of teens in Montana embraced skateboarding as the ultimate expression of freedom and creativity. With no dedicated skatepark nearby, skaters sought opportunities several hours or hundreds of miles away for a chance to skate. That all changed when a core group of childhood friends decided to band together and change the status quo. Grit to Grind tells the inspiring story of the Montana Skatepark Association’s beginnings, growth, and ongoing mission to build skateparks in communities across Montana. Kemmis and Bacon’s new book recaps the early years of skatepark efforts in Missoula and the building of Missoula’s MOBASH skatepark. The book features chapters on Jeff Ament and his Montana Pool Service as well as several profiles of up-and-coming skaters from around Montana. Packed with over 125 vibrant color photographs, Grit to Grind is both a tribute to the past and a rallying call for the future of skateboarding in Montana.

There will be a Q&A with the authors and Fact & Fiction Bookstore will be on hand to sell copies of the book. Doors open at 5:30 PM and the event begins at 6:00 PM.

Andy Kemmis is a photographer and writer based in his hometown of Missoula, Montana, who has been skating for over forty years and has been involved with the Montana Skatepark Association since its inception. See more at andrewkemmis.com or on Instagram @andrewkemmisphoto.

Chris Bacon, a musician and skateboarder, has worked at Board of Missoula for over thirty years and formed the Montana Skatepark Association with lifelong friends. Chris has dedicated his life to sharing all of skateboarding’s positive life lessons with Montana communities and beyond. See more at boardofmissoula.com or on Instagram @boardofmissoula.