On Saturday, June 1, the Martha’s Vineyard Skate Park Association (MVSPA) will host a fundraiser at the Flatbread Company to raise money for improvements to the skate park. The event will feature live music by Ben Taylor, DCLA, 2nd Power and DJ Ricky Prime.

Nick Briggs, a member of the MVSPA and long-time skateboarder, estimates that the organization needs to raise $60,000 to pay for necessary repairs and to continue regular maintenance on the park, which has become a hotspot for skateboard enthusiasts around the Island. Located in Oak Bluffs along the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven road, the skate park has given skateboarders a place to skateboard in relative safety.

“As kids, we used to skateboard through town and get in trouble with the police,” Mr. Briggs said. “There aren’t any big parking lots here like there are on the mainland.”

Construction began on the skate park in 2003 and was funded primarily by donations and aided by contributions of time, equipment and supplies from Island workers, according to the MVSPA’s website. The MVSPA also received monetary grants from five of the Island’s six towns. In 2010, an Oak Bluffs insurance inspector recommended that the skate park be closed due to the deteriorating condition of its features.

Since then, a variety of upgrades have been planned. One particular area of concern is the park’s wooden features, which sustain more damage than those made of concrete. One of the fundraiser’s primary goals is to replace the aging wooden features with concrete, said Mr. Briggs. Concrete is not only more durable than wood, but is also much less costly and provides a better surface for skateboarding, he added.This event is 21 and older. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 for general admission and $75 to be a VIP, which includes a meet-and-greet with Mr. Taylor.

Tickets can be purchased at The Green Room in Vineyard Haven or online at ticketsmv.com.