Caden Skelton on a skateboard

Interesting People – This is Caden Skelton

July 31, 2025

You might know him as Sherwood Park’s skateboarding dancer, the dude with the helmet

Caden Skelton on a skateboard

When I first saw Caden, I was on my way to a meeting at the Community Centre – he was wearing his helmet and holding his longboard while dancing happily on the corner, to an inaudible tune that only he could hear. His obvious enjoyment made me smile immediately.

I later discovered his name is Caden Skelton, twenty years old, and he calls himself “the guy that vibes out on his longboard around Sherwood Park”.  If you’ve been witness to Caden ‘vibing’ out on a streetcorner, consider yourself lucky. You are witnessing a fellow who is lifting himself up and brave enough to share his story with others, despite some backlash.

Skelton has been a bit of a controversial subject on local social media, often mentioned on Asking Strathcona County, or Strathcona County Rants and Raves.

I had the privilege of sitting down with him over coffee at Remedy Cafe to learn more about his story.

If you’ve been paying attention on Facebook, you’ll know that Skelton has faced complaints that he is skating too close to the curb; been distracting to drivers; concerns that he is tweaking (under the influence of narcotics); pulled over by the police for mental health checks (after being reported on by local residents); given a ticket for stunting in public (which was later reduced to a warning); been accused of being in a gang and of dealing drugs.

Being highly visible hasn’t been all bad – Skelton has received an outpouring of support from people who love what he’s doing. Bus drivers report that he always makes a bad day good; other locals report that he brightens up everyone’s day; that he’s got sweet moves; and that Sherwood Park is lucky to have him. In June this year, one of our local RCMP officers gifted him with an Oilers jersey during their playoff run, as a thank you for the joy he brings to people. There is even a Reddit thread dedicated to Caden Skelton. User klaus369 on Reddit says “This guy brightens my day every time I see him driving home from work! He’s amazing.”

Skelton embodies the spirit of “dancing like no one is watching”, but he didn’t set out to get his notoriety on purpose. Longboarding since he was about seven years old, he was confident the first time he set out on an electric long board – without a helmet – in June of 2023. That would prove to be a life-changing decision – he fell over backwards as the electric board accelerated and he flipped back and hit his head hard, suffering a traumatic brain injury. He lost four days of his life that he can’t remember as he recovered in hospital.

Less than a month out of hospital, despite his family’s objections, Caden set out to get on his board again. “My boards are my wings”, says Skelton, “I needed to get back up and conquer my fear.” Trying to shake off the anxiety he was feeling, he started rolling his shoulders and neck – ‘shake off the cobwebs’ kind of approach. Then he added more moves and that’s when people started noticing.

One of his friends pointed out in March of 2024 that people had been commenting on Facebook about him, all positive at that point. He found one comment really compelling, a mother had commented how much joy it brought to her daughter while she was going through some difficult things, that it had brought her daughter out of her funk. From that point forward, the dancing became more intentional, although he doesn’t claim to be an actual longboard dancer. “Longboard dancing is more than what I do, I am just vibing out”, Skelton says. He urges me to search longboard dancing on Youtube – it is a whole different level, but he’s learning.

Hearing that what he was doing was making a difference for a young person was really meaningful for Skelton. “I know first hand what it is like to be judged for being different and if I can help someone who is going through it, I want to do that.” 

“What about work?,” I ask…

Skelton is a first year welding apprentice, but his accident changed things. He isn’t keen to get back into that type of work; he loves to teach and is hoping to get more work teaching longboarding to interested participants. The longboarding classes usually take place around Festival Place. He’ll teach basic skills and maintenance to anyone who wants to learn – young or old – you’ll need flat soled shoes; bring your own equipment; and you must wear a helmet! $15 for a single participant; $25 for a group.

Skelton is also enjoying representing businesses and supporting them. He tells me that it would be a definite dream to be recognized and sponsored by a large skate shop or brand. 

Have you seen him in an egg costume recently? Skelton is grateful to Sunny Side Up, one of Sherwood Park’s favourite breakfast restaurants – they’ve hired him to be a mascot and hand out coupons on their behalf; Booster Juice and Halloween Alley have approached him; and among his first supporters were Young Farts RV Parts. Young Farts will be happy to know he was wearing their hoodie when we met for coffee, so he is repping the brand.

What’s Next? Other Dreams, Goals? Skelton’s dream would be to have an indoor accessible skatepark – in the urban centre, not the warehouse district. “Most of the urban centres force their indoor parks to the industrial areas, but that’s not accessible for everyone,” Skelton explains. “They need something central for the local community.” Skelton claims that the parks are having to close because they’re not centrally located, making them inaccessible for someone who doesn’t drive. In 2019, Sherwood Park’s indoor skatepark, The Boneyard, closed and earlier this year Edmonton’s only indoor park, House of Wheels, closed permanently. The news story about the House of Wheels explained that the high cost of leasing a warehouse makes the business difficult to sustain. 

Not having a place to skate in the winter is hard on a guy who had struggled with mental health issues, even before his injury. To make matters worse, he’s now moved to a new subdivision whose bus system won’t be coming until 2026. “So what do you do in the winter?” I ask. “Mostly game,” he replies, “I can get kind of depressed in the winter. But I am getting my driver’s license, my grandparents are helping me.” Skelton is hoping to have his license by November. 

What kind of music does he like? Rap. But Skelton grew up listening to Grandpa’s tunes – the old classic country. “Those songs tell stories and I like that,” says Skelton. When he was younger, his step dad introduced him to Eminem and he became a fan of all the classic rappers. His musical tastes have evolved, he listens to a lot of smaller, emerging artists, but usually those with a story to tell.

5 Quick Questions

1) Pineapple on pizza? “YES”, he says with a big grin on his face. 

2) Favourite restaurant in the Park? “Kobachi” he says, without hesitation.

3) Cats or dogs? Dogs, but he had to think about that one. 

4) What’s he reading? He has a big collection of books, mostly graphic novels and anime. If he has to pick one favourite, it would probably have to be Overlord. He says it is a bit dark and a bit wild, but a favourite nonetheless. 

5) Favourite beverage? Again the big grin returns, “I have many!” A custom iced mocha from Remedy is a favourite; Powerade (the mixed berry is his favourite flavour); and Canada Dry – but never Schweppes.

One thing he wants people to know about him – “Don’t be afraid to come talk to me,” Skelton says, “Maybe not when I am in the middle of a song because I might be vibing, but when the song is over. I want to make friends with as many people as possible.”

Learn more about Caden: 

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