Time to grease your bearings. Weeks of construction and dirt-shifting by veteran X Games ramp builders and jump designers have led to three days of pro-level bunny hop contests and dirt jumping, and a purpose-built step-up, step-down dragon to challenge the most daring extreme sports competitor. If that’s not tough enough, the gauntlet of death will weed the posers from the pros, with big cash prizes up for grabs. With the long-overdue action sports park Downtown at the Austin Rec Center opening in June and local design freaks MARK Skate­boards unleashing their range of boards last weekend, Austin’s reputation as a town that knows an ice-pick grind from a handrail jam is catching big air. Fri.-Sun., May 27-29. Practice sessions Friday; competitions start at 11am Sat.-Sun. 1001 E. Sixth. $5 per day; $20 for a weekend pass with free T-shirt. www.odysseybmx.com/dailyword/texas-toast-jam.

This article appears in May 27 • 2011.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.