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Bring your board and your crew and drop in at Berkeley’s skate park to spend the afternoon in a way that Terrence McCrary Jr. would have loved: surfing the concrete on four wheels.
Join us at the Terrence McCrary Jr. Memorial Skatepark for the 10th annual free, all-ages event on Sept 12th. Enjoy live music, skating, food, a raffle, and honor Terrence McCrary Jr.'s memory while advocating against gun violence. This year will be a special event with some surprises!
Inspired by McCrary Jr., the late skateboard mentor for Berkeley youths known affectionately as “T-Mack,” the skate jam will have open skating across the park’s 18,000 square feet of concrete, including a large oval bowl to carve, a fun box with ramps and rails, and areas for beginners.
There will also be a skate contest where participants can choose to compete on three skate park features: a big hip (a slanted ramp), a noping (a rounded concrete lip on a quarter pipe), and a ledge (a raised platform). Up to three skaters can win by performing the most complex tricks on each feature.
For more fun for everyone, we’ll have food trucks, a raffle for skateboards, wheels, and more; DJed music; and a painting cardboard art area with prizes for best art that commemorates Terrence.
About Terrence
Terrence McCrary Jr., also known as T-Mack, was born on September 15, 1993. By all accounts he was a vibrant, big-hearted person who had a passion for skateboarding and art. He graduated from Berkeley public schools, attended Berkeley City College and worked at 510 Skateboarding skate shop on Telegraph avenue as a way to fuel his interests. Terrence also worked at the Harrison Skate Park as a counselor in training with the city’s recreation division and was a mentor to younger kids who shared his love for skating.
On August 14, 2016, at the age of 22, Terrence was killed while attending a party in Uptown Oakland. Two other attendees got into a fight; one of them pulled a gun on the other shooting him dead and taking Terrence’s life as well. Terrence continues to live in the hearts of those whose lives he touched and have a presence within the skateboarding community.
Every year the McCrary family, in conjunction with the City of Berkeley’s Recreation Division, hosts an annual T-Mack Skate Jam with free food, music and prizes in honor of Terrence, celebrating his life, memory, and passion for skateboarding. It is a moment to celebrate life and bring the skateboarding community together while also recognizing the pain and devastation of gun violence.
On June 21, 2025, the City of Berkeley officially renamed the Berkeley Skate Park to the Terrence McCrary, Jr. Memorial Skate Park to honor his life his and contribution to the community.