At Woodward Park City, The Uninvited is building more than a contest

Hinano Sakamoto slides a rail during finals day at The Uninvited Invitational at Woodward Park City. The event, founded by pro snowboarder Jess Kimura, brings 75 riders from more than 20 countries to compete for a $60,000 prize purse. Photo: Emma Dubrovsky

Returning this April, Jess Kimura’s global streetstyle snowboard event brings elite riding, real opportunity and a wider vision for who belongs in action sports.

PARK CITY, Utah — The Uninvited Invitational will return to Woodward Park City next month, bringing top streetstyle snowboarders from around the world for a three-day competition and a community ride day aimed at expanding access to the sport.

Woodward Park City lists the 2026 event for April 9-11, with competition at its mountain venue. A community ride day hosted by Beyond the Boundaries is set for April 12. Woodward says the event will feature 75 riders from more than 20 countries competing for a $60,000 prize purse.

For founder Jess Kimura, though, The Uninvited has always been about more than a contest.

“I hope the girls watching feel like they have not only the right, but the ability, to step into the spotlight and take the spotlight and not just be secondary,” Kimura said. “I want them to feel like there’s a demand for them to be in the spotlight.”

Kimura said she created The Uninvited because she did not see enough opportunities for women riding at a high level to showcase their skills.

“It started out as a film series because I just didn’t see any opportunities for the girls in this type of riding to showcase their skills,” she said.

The film project became a launching pad for something bigger. As she got to know riders more closely, Kimura said she kept hearing about another barrier: money.

“The girls really were lacking resources as far as money goes,” she said. “So I basically made an event to try to create the perfect storm for them, with the best course, the best filmers, the best photographers, and a bunch of prize money to give away.”

That lack of support, she said, reflected a long-standing culture in snowboarding that too often treated women as an afterthought.

“The girls were just always secondary,” she said. “If there was going to be a cut for budget, or too many people on a trip, it was always the girls getting cut out of things.”

She said the dynamic created a scarcity mindset among riders and sponsors alike.

“There was this really big mentality of, ‘There’s only room for one girl on our team,'” Kimura said. “But I wanted there to be room for all the girls on the team.”

The sport has changed, she said, but not enough. One of the next shifts she wants to see is earlier investment in up-and-coming riders.

“It would be cool to see brands invest in potential the same way they invest in guys’ potential,” she said. “For years and years, it’s been this feeling of, you have to prove yourself first. You have to be the best before people want to sponsor you.”

For riders trying to build a career, even modest support can be transformative.

“I remember back when I was coming up how much a couple hundred bucks would make a difference for me,” Kimura said. “A couple thousand bucks would definitely be life-changing.”

The event’s return to Woodward Park City gives that vision a setting, Kimura said, that is uniquely suited to it.

“Woodward is like the dream. It’s like Disneyland for snowboarders,” she shared.

Kimura said the venue matters not only for its terrain and training environment, but for its accessibility. Spectators can reach the event on foot, making it easier for families, fans, and first-time viewers to watch the action up close.

She also praised the Woodward team for understanding the event’s purpose.

“The people at Woodward just get it,” she said. “They have the same goal as we do. We wouldn’t be able to do it without them, because of how much they give us in resources, time, staff, effort, and marketing. It’s incredible.”

The weekend will include more than competition. The April 12 ride day, hosted with Beyond the Boundaries, is open to female-identifying snowboarders and skiers of all skill levels and includes community programming and an après event.

That broader sense of community is central to Kimura’s vision. She said she hopes young women see the snowboard world as open to more than athletes alone.

“We have female photographers, filmers, media, designers, marketing people, course diggers, builders, welders,” Kimura said. “I just want girls to feel like they can step into this space and be welcomed into it and valued.”

Asked what she would tell a young girl in Park City who wants to ride at that level someday, Kimura offered practical advice.

“Get out there and do it,” she said. “Find someone you like doing it with and film each other. There’s nothing that gets people to improve faster than watching themselves on video.”

She added: “If you want to work in the action sports industry, there’s totally space for you. I hope you show up and meet people who can get you there.”

The Uninvited Invitational runs April 9-11 at Woodward Park City. The Uninvited x BTBounds Community Ride Day is April 12. More information is available through Woodward Park City.