SDC’s Dougapalooza 2024
In a word… freedom!
In several more words, the 8th annual All American Invitational saw 84 skilled, excited skydivers join together from all over the world at Skydive Chicago for yet another long weekend of carefully crafted skydives, world class organizers, 60 acres of grass landings, night after night at the Tiki Bar, and four days hanging out with some of the best people in the sport!
VEG Cares charity
This year, the All American Invitational had an extra special partnership with the Veterinary Emergency Group, a charity that helps pay for & subsidize pet care for families that can’t afford it – imagine a family that survives a house fire with two cats suffering from smoke inhalation trying to budget replacing all their belongings versus going into debt to treat their furry friends. You can still donate to a Veterinary Practice and support the cause, and you can watch Doug Barron’s call to action:
Okay, now back to the skydiving!
Heating Up
The leadership team included organizers: Doug Barron, Craig Girard, Andrew Happick, & Gorka Amian; coordinating with videographers: Elliot Byrd, Mark “Trunk” Kirschenbaum, Kazu Oyama, & Charlie McGree. Most events feature warm-up dates, but with jumps this hot, we went straight to the Heat Up! 2-plane 20ways, streamers ‘cause they’re fun, octo-donut 40ways, outfacers on outfacers, and the SDC fleet of skyvans, otters, and oxygen tanks.
The excitement didn’t end after the jumping was over – each night featured special entertainment and specialty food trucks, including local rock-fiddler Casey McGrath.
The Paw
Previous All American Invitational’s featured signature jumps such as the Flag, the Smokeshow, the Rhythm Logo, and the Mustache. 2024’s ambitious signature jump was the Paw. The entire formation built up line of flight from the base, featured 6 caterpillar lines, slow-falling diamonds, multiple out-facers, and most importantly: the Toe Beans! As we got closer and closer to the Paw, we even gave the Toe Beans claws! Despite multiple near completions, the Paw proved too elusive for this year’s All American Invitational. But no one regretted going for it, helping out our furry friends, and we’ll always remember our darling Toe Beans.
Road to 250
It’s about quality and quantity.
Great jumps, brilliant organizers, world class videographers, and fab vibes are just part of the belly scene’s big picture right now. The US belly organizers have announced the ambitious goal of building a 250-way formation in August 2025, to beat the Illinois state record. Events like the P3 Power Play, the AZ Challenge, and the All American Invitational help hone the skills required for skydivers to fly their best.
As well, records & camps like the 2024 Wisconsin state record, XP Invitational, P3 Games, 100way Club, & All American Bigway Skills Camps help skydivers learn how to jump in large formations.
You can register for these events at portal.skycru.com and p3skydiving.com
All American Photos 2024
A photo gallery is below, and you can view more photos of the event on Facebook albums from Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4.
The All American Invitationals is run by All American Bigways.
Video Edit
The video team of Elliot Byrd, Mark “Trunk” Kirschenbaum, Charlie McGee, and Kazu Oyama put together a video edit of the event:
