"Ghetto Games” to bring together more than 500 international athletes
visitventspils.com | 2024.07.17
Europe's largest open-air street and extreme sports festival is returning to Ventspils for the 12th time. Over three days, visitors will have the opportunity to witness the most extensive international extreme and street sports competitions to date. This year, the festival will take place from July 19th to 21st, in collaboration with Balcia Insurance.
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The Ghetto Games festival annually attracts fans and participants of extreme and street sports culture from all over the world.
"We are on the same wavelength with the brave and passionate, which is why we are happy to support various Ghetto Games events for the second year – including the grand festival in Ventspils. We believe everyone should have the opportunity to fulfill their sports ambitions and achieve well-deserved victories, and such events provide a platform for enthusiasts of more extreme and lesser-seen sports to shine and showcase their talents to a wider audience," says Balcia Vice President Reinis Bērzkalns.
Ghetto Games promises that the event's program will be exciting for every festival visitor, catering not only to athletes but also to street culture representatives, as well as families and children. Additionally, extreme sports stimulate an extreme appetite, so visitors will be able to enjoy a diverse range of flavors at the Ghetto Food Festival. For three days, visitors will have the opportunity to taste a variety of dishes from different street-food masters in the skatepark area.
"Ghetto Games is a unique movement whose main value is to give young people the opportunity to regularly engage in sports and spend their free time healthily. The city of Ventspils is pleased with the long-term cooperation with Ghetto Games organizers for already 12 years, as well as with the movement's leader Raimonds Elbakjans.
It was at the Ghetto Games event in Ventspils in 2018 that a significant mark was made in the history of Latvian 3x3 basketball, when at the first FIBA World Tour qualification tournament – “Ghetto Basket Ventspils Challenger” – the Latvian 3x3 national team triumphed among 16 teams from eight countries.
The activities and work carried out by Ghetto Games have helped our national 3x3 basketball team win gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, and we are proud that Ventspils has its Olympic champion in 3x3 basketball – Kārlis Pauls Lasmanis, who actively motivates and supports young basketball players and will compete in the Paris Olympics with the Latvian team. Good luck to the boys,” conveys Guntis Blumbergs, Ventspils City Council Deputy Chairman for Cooperation Affairs.
This year, the festival's program promises to be particularly extensive, gathering over 500 foreign athletes from more than 30 countries. The largest representation of international athletes is expected in the 3x3 basketball and street football events. In 3x3 basketball, three major events will take place – FIBA 3x3 Nations League, international “Ghetto Basket” stages in six age groups, and a PRO category tournament with a ticket to one of the FIBA Challenger stages in Asia. In street football, an international “3x3 children's football tournament” in U6, U7, and U8 groups, an international “Ghetto Football 3x3” stage with the opportunity to win a significant cash prize and valuable ranking points in the world street football rankings, and colourful football freestyle competitions “World Freestyle Football Showtime” that will gather world-class influencers.
Event program:
On the first day of the festival, July 19th, spectators and participants can look forward to the international “3 against 3 children's football tournament” in U6, U7, U8 groups, amateur inline competitions, Ghetto Fight Kids Fighter competitions, Ghetto Submission Baltic Grand Prix competitions, and FIBA 3x3 Nations League.
Saturday, July 20th promises to be the hottest day of the festival. In the Ventspils Skatepark, one can follow the international BMX freestyle competitions for amateurs and JAM format competitions, the international Baltic Cup scooter freestyle GGFEST x RIDEOO, and the international football freestyle competitions “World Freestyle Football Showtime” qualifying round.
In the Big Square, the Ghetto Fight championship and FIBA 3x3 Nations League will take place. In the Lielais Prospekts, the international “Ghetto Football 3x3” and “Ghetto Basket” tournaments will take place. For true basketball fans – the first day of the PRO group 3x3 basketball competition “GGFEST Baltic Sea Open Quest” will take place in the OC Ventspils Hall.
On the final day of the festival, July 21st, visitors will be greeted by the grand return of motorcycle competitions – the international “Ghetto Streetbike Freestyle” competitions with the best tricks and the international “Ghetto Floorball” competitions.
Right next to it on the Great Prospect, the final of the international “Ghetto Football 3x3” tournament will take place. In the skatepark, the Latvian championship stage in skateboarding and the final of the international football freestyle competition “World Freestyle Football Showtime” will take place.
In the OC Ventspils Hall, the PRO category 3x3 basketball competitions “GGFEST Baltic Sea Open Quest” will continue. In the large square, the international FIBA 3x3 Nations League will conclude, and the international “Ghetto Dance” and “Ghetto Dance VIP battles” competitions will take place.
Festival visitors are also invited to attend the official AFTERFEST organized by Xamana Official x Bourzma x Silrak. From Friday to Saturday, the afterfest will entertain visitors with outstanding hip-hop artists, including ODS, March, Tumši Sarkana Maģija, AFK, Kazimirs, and many others.
As part of the afterfest, the Ghetto Games Freestyle Battle, Xamana Graffiti Jam, Latvian New Rappers Contest “Plīts,” and other exciting activities such as graffiti masterclasses and street fashion creative workshops will take place. The afterfest will take place on two stages in a restricted area at the nightclub “Silrak.”
The festival is free for visitors. A more detailed festival program is available HERE!