The sun was setting as crowds of people roamed The Lyric Sept. 6, the walls inside ornamented with skateboards — some brightly painted, some carved and one even made into a clock. Outside, the projector lit up the screen with a skateboard video, and the air was filled with local music.

Art, music and skateboarding have always gone hand in hand, and this week, The Lyric gave the public a showcase of all of the above at All Hands on Deck.

“Fort Collins has always had a great art scene and a really great skate scene, so it just kind of makes sense,” said Chris Jones, Launch Skate’s art show curator. “A lot of people that are drawn to skateboarding are also drawn to a lot of creative things like art and music.”

Jones said when the event started, they found it easy to collaborate with friends in the skate and art community.

“The creative scenes in Fort Collins and the skateboarding scene always being as vibrant as they have been historically here, it just kind of makes for a really exciting show,” Jones said. “Every year, there’s always like 50 more artists that I want to be a part of the show, and I think we do a good job of diversifying that.”

The event was just as diverse as the art itself — something that was expected by Launch’s Executive Director Andy Weiss.

“All these different people are from all these different backgrounds, but we all share skateboarding,” Weiss said. “And I feel like the show also kind of highlights that as well.”

Not everyone who attended All Hands on Deck was a skateboarder, an artist or in the music scene. There was a variety of different people from different backgrounds and of all ages, with some individuals stumbling across it as their first introduction to the skate scene.

All Hands on Deck is an annual event Launch has put on for the past 13 years, which they do to keep up with their growing budget and programming for the year.

Launch is a nonprofit organization that uses skateboarding to connect with the community. They offer various programs for both youth and adults to learn how to skateboard or improve their skills.

Weiss said funding from this event could be put toward a new location or a change in their current layout. Both would be vital for Launch’s future and their growing community, which they’ve spent years cultivating through new programming, such as after-school collaborations with school districts and Colorado State University.

Each year, they use the same process to give local artists new skateboard decks and let them create something with them. They then collect the boards and hold an exhibit.

There are 38 different skateboards on display at The Lyric that were created by 38 different artists local to Fort Collins. There are also prints and photos done by local artists and photographers who work in skateboarding.

Launch uses this and other ways to fundraise, including working with local sponsors to procure silent auction items and create other ways for people to bid on them.

This year, there were a few things that set the event apart from previous years.

Dawson Petrocco is involved with Launch as a volunteer and has been involved with All Hands on Deck for over six years.

“This is a lot different than any of the events we’ve had prior just because it’s a lot longer of a duration, and we haven’t done the event here before, and the event is a lot smaller,” Petrocco said. “But this is the most people I’ve seen opening night.”

This year’s event is the kickoff for the fundraising event and won’t just last one day — the art will remain at The Lyric for three weeks following the event, allowing more time for people to bid on these skateboards.

The bidding will close 6 p.m. Sept. 28, and there is an option for items to be shipped from the bidding site. Those interested in supporting Launch and their mission in other ways can donate directly to the business on their website.

And for those wanting to get involved in the skateboarding community, Launch is a great start.

“If you have any interest in skateboarding or just need, like, a place to be or to go, you should check it out,” Petrocco said. “Everyone is very nice and helpful, and it’s all donation based, and we don’t turn anyone away.”

Reach Jenna Landry at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.