Massive crowds of skiers and snowboarders came out to shred the slopes of Blue Mountain Ski Resort in support of Carve4Cancer on Saturday.

The charity group, started by Wilkes-Barre native Brent P. Evans in 2012, raises funding for blood cancer research and financial support for locals with cancer. Evans launched the group following the first round of a two-year battle with the stage IV hepatosplenic T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. “He was an amazing, amazing guy. He fought cancer twice, but he unfortunately passed this July from post-transplant complications associated with blood cancer. So, we’re out here trying to raise as much money as possible,” Carve4Cancer marketing director Joshua Frank said.

As Evans was an avid snowboarder, one of the highlights of the day was the Best Trick Competition. The big event drew talented competition in the men’s, women’s and children’s divisions, with loads of gear and $1,000 in cash up for grabs.

A portion of lift ticket sales was contributed to the cause as well.

“We have the best supporters in the world, I say it all the time and I really mean it,” Frank said. “Not only our supporters, but the people who come out here just to enjoy a day on the mountain, we start talking to them about what we’re doing and they are immediately drawn in.”

Indoors, tables were loaded with posters, shirts and other swag featuring Evans. People tightly packed the performance area waiting to pick up merchandise in support of the cause.

Music was everywhere, with DJ Dre Ovalle spinning out in the vendor village, and a lineup featuring Fake Flowers Real Dirt, The Still, Small Voice, Stella Ruze, Suze, Jay D Clark, Justin Trawick and the Common Good, Sophistafunk, Mr. Green, Big Mean Sound Machine, and the headliner of the evening, Lawrence, an eight-piece band from New York.

For those looking to pick up some music-based art and support blood cancer research, Astro Vinyl Art was on hand, selling classic vinyl albums laser-cut with unique designs.

“We taken random vinyl records, create the designs on the computer, and use a machine to cut them out,” Dave Friel said. “Then we put them on a nice background and frame them. A friend of ours told us about Carve4Cancer, so we decided to pitch in.”

Outside, graffiti artist Jonathan Conner, better known as “Lank,” created a stunning six-panel rendition featuring Evans with angel wings, and a tag reading “Live like Brent.” Visitors were welcomed to take pictures in front of the memorial, and sign their names to two sections on the bottom edges of the panels. Hungry skiers and snowboarders were able to slide off the slopes right into the vendor village for tacos at the Wahoo’s Fish Tacos stand, which donated all of their proceeds to Carve4Cancer.

While in the village, visitors in the market for a new board could check out one of the fastest growing companies in the field, Gilson Snowboards.

“We’ve been working for Carve4Cancer for a couple of years now. We absolutely love the organization. It’s some good, worthy work. At the same time, it’s just fun to work with good people,” said Gilson owner Nicholas Gilson, whose company is based near Lewisburg.

A portion of sales from Tito’s Vodka and Yards Brewing Company, which made a specialty English Mild Ale dubbed “Uncle Brent’s Brew” for Carve4Cancer available in the village, went to the charity.

Major sponsor Milwaukee Tools, whose owner and employees had been friends with Evans, had a demo tent at the event, though their mission of the day had nothing to do with sales, rather, it was all about supporting the cause.

“It means everything,” marketing manager Demos Kazamias said. “We want to try to use our resources and our pull of the trades that we focus on to bring attention to something like this. Because at the end of the day, it’s all about people, and we want to be here participating and helping out.”

The goal was to reach $100,000 for research and support.

“We’re passionate about it, and what we’re doing is really trying to make a difference, and doing it in a way that combines skiing, snowboarding, and the outdoors and tying it back to this amazing mission we have,” Frank said.