Snow boarders practice on the Big Air ramp prior to the start of the Shaun White’s Air + Style: Los Angeles.

By Brian Day, Staff Writer

The North American debut of Shaun White’s Air+Style extreme sports and music festival at the Rose Bowl on Saturday offered an eclectic mix of activities and attractions to delight the senses of guests.

In between the main attractions of a 150-foot-tall snow-covered ramp which snowboarders lunched from to perform high-flying acrobatics and two stages providing a full day of concerts, there was no shortage of ways to keep busy.

For the first time in its 22-year history, the event took a festival format, rather than assigned seating, organizers said. Guests were invited to peruse the grounds outside of the Rose Bowl as they watched their favorite athletes and listened to their favorite bands.

“I really like the set up,” said Rebecca Velasco, 21, of Santa Barbara. “You can turn this way and see the state, and you can turn that way and see the ramp.”

She and two friends sat in the grass with friends between the massive snow ramp and the venue’s main stage, where the band Bad Things performed. Olympian snowboarder Shaun White, who runs the event, plays guitar with the band.

While she was enjoying the snowboarding, Velasco and her friends said it was primarily the music that attracted them to Air+Style. In particular, the group was looking forward to performances by Phantogram and Diplo.

“I like the roaming atmosphere,” 21-year-old Brandon Pineda of Santa Barbara added. “There’s a lot to explore.”

In addition to sampling the wares of a host of food trucks and booths, guests watched artists work, tried their hand and carnival games, relaxed in a tented arcade and had free custom T-shirts made. More adventurous guests were invited to jump from a tall platform onto a giant airbag.

Read more in Brian Day’s story SNOW