After Torino, Hamburg and London, the Vans Downtown Showdown takes to the Dutch capital this year so if you’re around the flatlands realms beginning of August, make sure you head into Amsterdam on August 4th, 2012!

Host of the spectacle that will be the fourth edition of the now legendary event is the Westergasfabriek of Amsterdam, the former  “Western Gas Factory”, that will be turned into a perfect skate playground with a challenging course, movie screenings, music, a public skate feature, art activation and even more side activities, that will revealed over the next weeks. Check out more deets in the official press release below.

The best skate teams are venturing from the far reaches of Europe and the shores of California for their chance to take part in a contest renowned to test skill, flare and creativity. Far removed from the usual format of any other skateboarding competition – the event will take place on 4 special customised ramps, which are all designed by the invited teams themselves. With the park layout being thrown out to the competing brands, the focus is not just on the riders ability and skills, but also on the individual teams to redefine the concept of a skate obstacle and ultimately designing something original that reflects the most emblematic symbols of Amsterdam & The Netherlands. 

Inspired by all the stories of one of Europe’s major historic cities, you can expect to see some very special ramps to be built.  Iconic images including windmills, tulips, clogs and bikes will provide visual stimulation for the ramp builders while visions of artists gone mad (Van Gogh), gothic churches, coffee shops and the infamous red light district haunt their dreams. Suffice to say, the variety of inspiration is endless and the invited crews will have their hands full designing tailor made obstacles for Europe’s premiere skate event.