MONROE - People watched in amazement as Monroe Area Skating Enthusiasts performed feats that defied the laws of gravity Saturday at Summer Fair on the Square.
The skaters went over jumps, turned their skateboards 360 degrees and landed on the pavement - most of the time.
The annual downtown event featured a farmers' market, music, activities for children and a pie-eating contest.
But it was the kids who demonstrated their agility on the skateboards that seemed to draw the most attention.
They appeared to relish the attention as onlookers watched them perform, trying to guess how high they got, wondering at their abilities to stay on their skateboards when they came back down and wincing a little when they took a fall. The onlookers inspired the dozen or so skaters to try to go even higher in the air.
Skateboarding remains popular and skateboard enthusiasts took advantage of the mini skate park to show why.
"I've been doing this for five years," Mike Pettit, 16, Cedarville, Ill., said between jumps.
He skates as often as he can. Pettit attends competitions most weekends, but a weekend without a skating event doesn't mean he's not skating.
"I'm out every weekend," he said.
Pettit's practice has paid off. He estimates that he's jumped 6 feet in the air and proudly smiled when he said he was able to jump over six kids in the past. He's also jumped over a picnic table.
Pettit's parents watched as he flew into the air and landed, sometimes on the skateboard and sometimes on his side.
"I've broken my ankle before," he said.
Pettit said the first time he ever went over a jump he fell hard. That didn't stop him from doing it again.
His parents used to worry about him when Pettit first started skating, he said. They don't as much now.
"I'm going to do it anyway," he said with a grin.
The skaters went over jumps, turned their skateboards 360 degrees and landed on the pavement - most of the time.
The annual downtown event featured a farmers' market, music, activities for children and a pie-eating contest.
But it was the kids who demonstrated their agility on the skateboards that seemed to draw the most attention.
They appeared to relish the attention as onlookers watched them perform, trying to guess how high they got, wondering at their abilities to stay on their skateboards when they came back down and wincing a little when they took a fall. The onlookers inspired the dozen or so skaters to try to go even higher in the air.
Skateboarding remains popular and skateboard enthusiasts took advantage of the mini skate park to show why.
"I've been doing this for five years," Mike Pettit, 16, Cedarville, Ill., said between jumps.
He skates as often as he can. Pettit attends competitions most weekends, but a weekend without a skating event doesn't mean he's not skating.
"I'm out every weekend," he said.
Pettit's practice has paid off. He estimates that he's jumped 6 feet in the air and proudly smiled when he said he was able to jump over six kids in the past. He's also jumped over a picnic table.
Pettit's parents watched as he flew into the air and landed, sometimes on the skateboard and sometimes on his side.
"I've broken my ankle before," he said.
Pettit said the first time he ever went over a jump he fell hard. That didn't stop him from doing it again.
His parents used to worry about him when Pettit first started skating, he said. They don't as much now.
"I'm going to do it anyway," he said with a grin.