What is a Skydiving Boogie?

A “skydive boogie” is our special term for a skydiving party! The skydiving world has a plethora of unique vernacular used amongst us jumpers, and when newcomers overhear us chatting, “What does boogie mean in skydiving?” is a common question we get.

The skydiving soiree doesn’t have to be accompanied by bell bottoms and electro-funk music (although it definitely can be!) and typically has its own theme. How did these get-togethers come about? Who attends and organizes them? Let’s cha-cha-check it out!

A Brief History of The Skydiving Boogie

“Let’s boogie!” said Garth “Tag” Taggart after the release of the first major skydiving film: Gypsy Moths. The story is that after the film’s release, Tag was asked to go whoop up the film’s success by hosting an event at his home dropzone. It’s said that he called this celebratory event a boogie, based on “the boogie man” cartoon from the 70s. Prior to this, skydiving events took place solely for the purpose of competition. A neat thing about boogies is that there’s no serious competition involved!

What Happens At A Skydiving Boogie?

Each boogie is unique, so we definitely can’t speak for all of them, but they are guaranteed to always be jam-packed with fun and skydiving.

Generally speaking, boogies last three to four days (Thursday/Friday-Sunday), and include raffle prizes, custom T-shirts, skydiving vendors, yummy food, a local keg or two, and jumpers from multiple dropzones. Specialty aircraft, like hot air balloons (yes, we can skydive from hot air balloons!) are often offered. It’s not uncommon to travel across the state, country, or even world for an epic boogie with your sky friends!

Some boogies are made to benefit specific causes, like cancer research, where part of the admission fee goes toward the objective.

Some boogies are aimed at certain groups of people in the sport, like belly flyers, wingsuiters, or members of SIS. SIS stands for Sisters in Skydiving, which is a group that nurtures and encourages female jumpers. These boogies often come with half-price jump tickets for our ladies! 

Who Can Attend A Skydiving Boogie?

Anyone who wants to put a little boogie in it! Those in the skydiving community and anyone curious about the sport is welcome to attend boogie skydiving parties.

There are some boogies that are tailored toward specific disciplines or groups, like wingsuiting or beginner flyers. All jumpers are still welcome at the dropzone while these boogies are happening, they just won’t take part in any skill level or flying technique they don’t specialize in.

We ALWAYS welcome and encourage spectators to join us, hang out, talk with our crew, and find out what our sport is all about! 

• Organizers: Boogies always have at least one super-motivated soul who organizes the entire thing and really makes the magic happen — from the marketing and event coordination to the vendors, aircraft, and food. Think of the organizer as someone who marshals any big event, like a fundraiser. The size of the event can range from a small, homey feel, bringing in a crowd of local jumpers, to absolutely massive in size with multiple aircraft flying and people coming in from all over the place. 
• Jumpers: The jumpers are what make the boogie possible. They sign up for the boogie and bring themselves, their gear, and come ready to rip up the sky! 
• Vendors: There are lots of facets of the skydiving community that are often overlooked by the general public. People ask, “What is the purpose of a skydiving jumpsuit?” But not who makes the jumpsuits! Retailers and other vendors that carry skydiving gear, like jumpsuits, swoop pants, demo canopies (where you “rent” a new parachute for the duration of the boogie to try it out before buying), and clothing sellers often attend boogies to get their brand out there and provide materials for a successful weekend of jumping. 
• Catering: When hundreds of skydivers are done jumping for the day, they’re HUNGRY. Oftentimes, food vendors, such as a local restaurant that cater or food trucks, will hang out to sustain everyone. A BBQ sammy has never tasted better than after a full day of skydiving! 

Is a Skydiving Boogie Worth Attending?

Yes! If you have the opportunity to attend a boogie you should 100% boot, scoot, and boogie on over there. Boogies present the chance to learn from jumpers that are better than you, bond with fellow skydivers, make new friends, and remind you of how awesome the community is. 

Does Skydive New England Host Any Boogies?

We host our fair share of events throughout the year, including our TIKI Boogie! Our very own beloved tandem instructor, AFF instructor, and videographer, Craig, first fell in love with skydiving at our TIKI Boogie — legendary! 

Just like tandem skydiving, everyone should attend a boogie at least once. Nothing is better than being surrounded by people who actually understand and relate to your love of skydiving — it’s super refreshing. Ready to get licensed and come boogie with us? Book your tandem today and LET’S SEND IT!