Want to Skateboard in Centre Square?

Easton's Centre Square will get a miniature version of the X-Games later this summer, Mayor Sal Panto announced Monday.

The downtown bar Drinky's will team up with Red Bull to host Drinky's Downtown Jam Saturday Sept. 14. 

If this sounds sort of familiar, it's because Drinky's and Red Bull teamed up in 2011 and 2012 for the Rail Jam, a day-long snowboarding competition in the square.

That event was tied to Red Bull's national Butter Cup tour, and involved Drinky's trucking in snow from local ski resorts.

This one—which will use the city's mobile skatepark, and allow young amateur skaters as well as seasoned pros—is centered around Easton.

"It's just a way to showcase the city," Drinky's general manager Tommy Urglavitch told reporters at a news conference to announce the event.

It will give amateur skaters a chance to show their stuff, while also getting a glimpse of professionals like X-games star Matt Lindenmuth, a Kutztown native. 

Parents can rest assured knowing very young skaters—say ages 5 and 6—can skate safely, while everyone else can watch competitions, like one where skaters see how many cases of Red Bull they can jump over.

Panto said he hopes to attract "a whole generation of people who have never been downtown." With luck, people will come for the skateboarding, and stay to eat, drink or hear live music.

The announcement came nearly two weeks after the Easton Farmers' Market hosted a night of rollerskating and skateboarding in the square. The success of that event, Panto said, shows there's an audience for downtown skating.

"It may not be snowboarding, but skateboarding is huge," Panto said. "We have more and more young people moving downtown, and they're moving to our downtown because they love our special events."

And those events are getting harder to fund as municipal budgets get tighter, the mayor said. For example, the city has chosen not to hold its Community Spirit Day on Labor Day weekend this year after two years of sparse attendance.

Instead, Easton will give the money it would have used for fireworks at that event for the Hispanic Cultural Festival later this month.

"We'd rather support something that can grow," Panto said.

Whether Drinky's Downtown Jam is one of those things remains to be seen. 

It's scheduled to run from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. September 14 in Centre Square. In addition to skateboarding, the event will also include a DJ competition.