A insider’s guide to ARDV. We realize that this event can be overwhelming to many first-time (and even veteran) attendees, so we put together some basic info how how to approach and navigate the event.

What is ARDV?

Schedule

The official schedule isn’t released until a week before the event due to the number of constantly shifting pieces that come together to make the event possible. Here is a general theme for each of the days.

Friday - Connection

  • Only available for the folks that are signed up for the Full Package or Ghost Pass, this is great time to connect with old friends, make new ones, and get settled into the rhythm of the weekend.

  • Features a number of introductory activities to reconnect with old friends, get to know the coaching team, and have some extra time to explore some of the Somerville-based spots.

  • Ghost Pass participants will have a special mission in the evening.

  • Get a first look at some of the new swag that will be debuted this year at the Swirl Shop, or pick up pre-orders.

Saturday - Community

  • This is the largest day of the event and features all of the different ticket groupings together.

  • We’ll have a mix of indoor and outdoor training setups available and groups will rotate through. Generally we try to separate the groups by experience level to make sure that coaches can scale sessions appropriately. We’ll have separate groups set up for the Youth Participants as well as for our popular Low Impact participants.

  • We’ll do the big group photos this day before the lunch break (if you’re not in the photo were you even here?). There are also usually a number of giveaways and special announcements made at this time.

  • Need to stock up on parkour training apparel or Swirl swag? This is the best time of the year to do so!

Sunday - Exploration

  • The last day of the event, we’ll be outside the entire day, so dress accordingly. We are a weatherproof community so we’ll be out there regardless of the weather- sun/rain/sleet/hail/etc.

  • Make sure to pack light as you’ll be moving between spots over the course of the day (expect a total of 1-2 miles of walking over the course of the day, bikes are encouraged!).

  • We cap off the event with a big group dinner at a local restaurant, make sure to purchase a ticket at the Swirl Store on Saturday or get one at the warmup on Sunday morning.

Tickets

There are a number of different ticket options for the event to accommodate a wide range of experience levels. Prices start low and then go up on the first of each month, so make sure to book yours early.

  1. Full Package - A ticket to the whole shindig (FRI + SAT + SUN) so be prepared for a jam-packed weekend. If you’re new to parkour training or not ready to take on this level of training for 3 days in a row, we recommend choosing another package. If you’ve been training regularly for a while then you’ll be fine if you pace yourself.

  2. Weekend Warrior - Access to the Saturday and Sunday events. A great place to start for folks that are looking for a challenging weekend but don’t have Friday availability.

  3. Saturday Only - Can’t make the Friday or Sunday commitments but still want a dose of ARDV? This is the option for you! Also a great way to get a taste of the event and the community without drinking a whole container of the Koolaid. Great option for youth participants or that friend that always tells you they want to try parkour with you but haven’t done it yet.

  4. Ghost Pass - We limit the number of spots and we don’t give you any details ahead of time because we want to scare you. So don’t sign up unless you’re ready for a very active weekend. Note that Ghost Passes also help to support the event by subsidizing tickets for our scholarship spots.

Logistics & Details

How to get to the event

To the Event

Participants will be responsible for their own transportation to and from the events sites each day.  There is an efficient and inexpensive public transport network within Boston and all sites will be easily accessible via public transportation. If you can, we highly recommend using a bike to get around town since traffic and parking can be a challenge. Boston has a bikeshare program called Blue Bikes that you can use for the weekend.

To Boston

The city can be reached via bus (Greyhound, Megabus, Bolt Bus, Peter Pan, etc.), train (Amtrak, Commuter Rail), and air (Boston Logan Airport- all major airlines).

Where to stay

Local hosts - Every year the local Boston parkour community opens their homes to accommodate a large number of event participants. Contact ardv@parkourgenerations.com for details!

The Cambria, Somerville - Discount available, details and booking info available here: https://bit.ly/AmericanRendezvous2023

Porter Square Inn, Cambridge - Discount available, details via booking confirmation page.

Holiday Inn, Somerville - Discount available, details via booking info available here: https://bit.ly/ARParkourFitness

What to eat

Local restaurants and eateries will be nearby during lunch each day and some will provide discounted fare for attendees.  Participants are responsible for their own food and accommodations for the duration of the event.

FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I've never done parkour before, is ARDV a good place for me to start?

YES!  This is probably one of the best places in the world to learn parkour as you will have lots of very experienced coaches from around the world on hand to lead you through the basics. Groups will be separated based on experience level and energy level at various times throughout the event to help make sure that everyone is challenged.

How are you handling COVID safety?

We take the health and wellbeing of the parkour community, our guest coaches, and the wider community very seriously. We'll be taking a number of steps in the interest of public health this year according to municipal and state guidelines. 

I've been training for a while, is ARDV a good event for me to attend?

Yes, the event will have participants from all around the country coming together to train and share their love of movement.  Groups will be separated based on experience level and energy level at various times throughout the event to help make sure that everyone is challenged.

I've really, really, really good though.  What can I learn?

Don’t worry.  We’ve got you covered.

Is there an age limit to enter the event?

Friday and Sunday are both 14+ (exceptions made for kids in the PkGen Boston Monkey Squad or from an advanced class with another PkGen branch) but Saturday is open to kids ages 8 - 13 and there will be a kids-specific schedule and training area.

Is there a discount for groups?

Yes, there is a discount for groups of 4 or more people coming from out-of-town.  Consult the registration tab or contact ardv@parkourgenerations.com for more details.

What should I bring to ARDV?

  • Weather appropriate clothing (for summer in New England).  Sweatpants, shorts, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, light jacket (a spare t-shirt is recommended, you will sweat... a lot)

  • Water bottle

  • Snacks to maintain energy levels (dried fruit, nuts, fruit, granola bars, etc...)

  • A small backpack to store gear and valuables (Parkour Generations Americas and the venues will not be held responsible for the safekeeping of valuables).

How is this amazing event made possible at this price?  

Through the generosity of our local sponsors who subsidize a lot of the costs involved with putting it on! And thanks to the City of Somerville and the every-growing and amazing parkour community in Boston and around the country!

The legacy of Rendezvous

It all started with the first Rendezvous event in London…

This event was a gathering of British and French parkour practitioners in London, UK, hosted by Parkour Generations to help bring some of the original ethos of parkour to the young and fast-growing British community. It became a tradition and continues today as one of the premier parkour workshops in the world.

The first American Rendezvous was hosted by Parkour Horizons in Columbus, OH in 2010 and featured a coaching team made up of some of the Yamakasi founders and Parkour Generations coaches. Similar to idea behind the original UK event, the event was designed to give practitioners on the American continent direct access elite coaching and to the “parkour spirit” and style of training practiced by the founders, as well as to create a community event that brought together practitioners from across the continent for a weekend of exchange.

In 2013, the American Rendezvous tradition was rekindled with the official birth of the Parkour Generations Americas branch and today ARDV is one of the largest annual international parkour workshops on the global event circuit. ARDV continues the tradition of blending together the coaching talents and passions of a diverse group of elite coaches from different organizations to create a unique and vibrant coaching team for each event.