Street snowboarding is back in Michigan, and the people in charge of Keweenaw tourism want you to plan a romantic date night around the evening filled with boardslides and handrails.
Jibba Jabba comes back to Houghton, Michigan on February 15, 2025 just a day after Valentine’s Day. The contest is sponsored by Red Bull, and features a rail jam course in the middle of the Upper Peninsula town’s downtown.
Valentine’s Day will feature a bunch of preparation as the city of Houghton will bring dump trucks filled with snow to create the course from Sheldon and Huron Street down to the Houghton Waterfront Pier. The rail jam itself kicks off the next day at 6 p.m., and a cash prize will be given to the best overall men’s and women’s riders. Red Bull will be on hand with its party car, a DJ, and energy drinks to pass out.
Photo: Simon Berghoef
“Professional industry riders hope for a chance to compete for a cash prize each year at Jibba Jabba, traveling from across the nation to put on a show for Houghton,” a press release said. “Kids of all ages and adults come out, inspired by the impressive feats performed by these riders, who drop in from Shelden Avenue and shred their way down to the Portage Canal.”
In 2023, Jibba Jabba returned to Michigan’s UP for the first time after a 10-year break. Last year, Duluth, Minnesota’s Jake McPherson took home the men’s top prize, and Jayva Jordan was atop the leaderboard for the women.
Houghton is close to two ski areas: Mt. Ripley and Mt. Bohemia. Mt, Bohemia is one of the most unique snowboarding and skiing experiences in the country. It boasts of limitless powder, warns newcomers to stay away, and was featured in The New York Times travel section earlier this year.
Michigan is no stranger to street snowboarding contests. It hosted the Red Bull Heavy Metal contest in 2023 at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit. Egan Wint, Jaylen Hanson, and Maggie Leon took home the top three spots for the women, while Pat Fava, Ryan Paul, and Luke Winkelmann were in the top three spots for the men.
The contest moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in 2024, and was held outside the State Capitol. It was brought back to fruition in 2022 after a 19 year hiatus. That contest was held in Duluth, and won by Benny Milam. He and Michigan native Grace Warner worked together with Red Bull to bring the event to Detroit’s concrete playground two years later.
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