EXTREME SPORTS were once viewed by many as a nuisance similar to graffiti and loud music. But like break dancing and aerosol art, skateboarding and stunt biking have become legitimized by the mainstream with organized competitions and family-friendly recreation centered around alternative athletic activities.

Last month saw skateboarders across the nation celebrate Go Skateboarding Day with locally organized events in various cities. And Atlanta hasn't been kicked to the curb on this trend, with regularly occurring skateboard art shows, bicycling and skate shops thriving throughout the city, and skate parks popping up throughout Atlanta's suburbs and beyond. (See: Listing of local skate parks, below)

TONY HAWK'S BOOM BOOM HUCKJAM / SPECIAL (ENLARGE)
Skateboarding phenom Tony Hawk brings his Boom Boom HuckJam back to Atlanta for a sixth engagement July 24 at Lakewood Amphitheatre.
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RELATED LINK: • MAP: Metro Atlanta skate parks • IF YOU GO: Tony Hawk's Boom Boom HuckJam. $30-$99. 6:30 p.m. July 24. Lakewood Amphitheatre, 2002 Lakewood Way, Lakewood Park, Atlanta. 404-443-5000, www.boomboomhuckjam.com, www.livenation.com.

As Tony Hawk's Boom Boom HuckJam — a corporate-sponsored annual event headlined by aerial tricks from pro skateboarders, BMX riders and motocross racers — comes to town this week, we take a look at what this event and the Atlanta area have to offer extreme sports fans.

UP-CLOSE WITH TONY HAWK

As the first skater to ever pull off a 900-degree spinning flip, Tony Hawk is arguably the most well-known skateboarder around.

A multi-time X Games medalist, Hawk's name has been attached to video games, shoes, cellphones and even Six Flags roller coasters in Texas, Missouri and California.

Now in its sixth year, the Boom Boom HuckJam takes Hawk and other extreme sports professionals on tour to showcase their talents in a noncompetitive production.

With skateboarder and radio host Jason Ellis as master of ceremonies, the show not only includes death-defying stunts by cyclists and skaters, but will also feature a multimedia mash-up performance by Mike Relm.

As the Boom Boom HuckJam comes to Atlanta, Hawk took a moment to talk about his career and skateboarding's transition into the mainstream.

Skateboarding was initially a way for you to release adolescent aggression. When you were doing tricks in your backyard, did you ever imagine you'd one day be considered the world's best skater?

The pinnacle of what you could do with skating when I was a kid was get free equipment. It wasn't a career option, and I just thought that once I reached a certain age I'd have to get a job. Around my senior year of high school I started making pretty good money. I actually bought a house while I was still in high school. All my schoolmates were trying to figure out where they were going to college and I already had a career.

You've played a major role in bringing skateboarding into the mainstream. How do you feel about the sport's evolution over the years?

I never did it because I was trying to rebel; I did it because I enjoyed it. I always thought there was more to skating than the public actually recognized, so I'm proud that there are these opportunities for kids and for the people who devoted their lives to it for not much recognition or financial success. People can blame me if they want, but I'm just happy we get to still do it for a living.

How has the Boom Boom HuckJam changed since its first year?

Our first year was very much an experiment and we've refined the show and figured out how to make it more efficient in terms of traveling, because the first couple of years were over the top. ... We really set out to put on a show, so it's constant entertainment and there are parts of the show that are very choreographed, other parts are more freestyle oriented. It's sensory overload and constant action.

Are there any newer athletes coming up that you think might be the next ones to take this sport to new levels?

There's a slew of talent out there, so it's hard to say one or two guys. I think Shaun White is one of the biggest names in all of our sport for sure because he's an incredible skateboarder and he's one of the best snowboarders. Nyjah Houston, who I think is 13 now, is one of the best street skaters ever. Alex Perelson is probably the most promising new name in terms of what people are doing on vert ramps.