Sacramento's X Games are Here—and These Young Athletes Are Ready to Rewrite the Rules

For action sports fans in the capital, this is the weekend. The X Games rolls into Cal Expo starting Friday, and if the final practice sessions are any indication, Sacramento’s about to witness something special.

The vibe around the grounds tells you everything you need to know about where these sports are headed. You’ve got 16-year-old Lily Erickson—a women’s park skateboard competitor who got her first board as a Christmas gift and never looked back—practicing tricks alongside 16-time X Games medalist Elliot Sloan. BMX riders are dialing in their lines, motocross athletes are launching off massive ramps and spinning through the air with the kind of casual precision that makes it all look effortless (spoiler: it’s not). The skate park itself is styled like Sacramento’s Tower Bridge, which is a nice touch of hometown flavor.

What’s striking here isn’t just the spectacle. It’s the generational shift happening in plain sight. Sloan pointed out something that captures what’s really going on:“All these kids are inspiring other kids, and a lot of these kids don’t even know who some of the older guys are.”That’s not a criticism—it’s an observation about momentum. Action sports have always been about pushing boundaries, and these younger athletes are doing exactly that, bringing tricks and energy that previous generations didn’t even think were possible. The sport evolves because the next wave doesn’t know what the limitations are supposed to be.

For Erickson, being here is the culmination of a long dream. She grew up watching the X Games on screens, imagining herself in that position. Now she’s one of the athletes people will be watching. That transformation from fan to competitor—that’s the through-line of sports that matter. It’s why events like this at Cal Expo pull people in.

The event runs through the weekend with men’s BMX kicking off at 5 p.m. Friday, women’s skateboarding in the mix, and motocross action at 8:30 p.m. If you’re thinking about heading out, both Sloan and Erickson have the same advice:“Just have fun with it. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself.”Smart words whether you’re competing or watching from the crowd.