One of the most spectacular free events London hosts each summer is back. The North Face Climb Festival returns to east London on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 July 2026, this time expanding to the Royal Docks — a larger site than its 2024 home at Canary Wharf’s South Dock, chosen specifically to accommodate the festival’s growing audience after nearly 15,000 people attended its debut London edition.
Entry is completely free. And the spectacle on offer — elite climbers ascending a 14-metre wall above open dock water, with nothing to break a fall but the river below — is unlike anything else you will see in London this summer.
What Is Deep Water Solo Climbing?
The centrepiece of the festival is a Deep Water Solo competition — a format that removes ropes, harnesses and crash mats entirely, replacing all of them with water.
Climbers tackle an overhanging wall mounted on a barge in the middle of the dock. They climb as high and as fast as they can. When they fall — and at 14 metres, they all fall eventually — they drop directly into the dock below. No safety net. Just the water.
The competition runs across four stages: a qualifying round of 150 climbers where each gets one attempt, a seeding round cutting to 60, semi-finals with 32 climbers (16 men and 16 women), and a final where the fastest times compete head-to-head for first and second place.
It is a genuinely breathtaking format to watch. The 2024 London edition drew crowds that packed out the adjacent harbourside gardens throughout both days. For the men’s category in 2024, American Nathaniel Coleman took victory in just 38 seconds, ahead of Slovenian Jernej Kruder at 48 seconds and UK climber Sam Butterworth at 60 seconds. Those times give a sense of how fast — and how athletic — this form of climbing is at the elite level.
The Athletes: Who Is Competing in 2026?
This year’s festival features workshops and appearances from three North Face athletes:
Molly Thompson-Smith — one of Britain’s most successful competitive climbers, Molly has represented Team GB at the Olympic Games and holds multiple British championship titles. She is one of the most prominent figures in UK climbing and one of the sport’s most recognisable faces internationally.
Fay Manners — a British climber known particularly for her achievements in bouldering and lead climbing, and for her role in growing the sport’s audience in the UK.
Siebe Vanhee — Belgian professional climber known for his big wall ascents and his work across multiple climbing disciplines. His experience on long, committing routes makes him one of the most technically accomplished climbers in the festival lineup.
All three will be running workshops across the weekend alongside the main competition — giving attendees the chance to learn directly from athletes operating at the highest level of the sport.
There is also a live dyno competition — a crowd-friendly format where climbers attempt explosive leaping moves between holds — and family-friendly bouldering walls on land, giving younger or less experienced visitors a chance to try climbing without the intimidating height of the main competition wall.
Base Camp: Talks, Repairs and Community
Beyond the competition, the festival’s Base Camp area hosts inspirational talks from big wall climbers — people who have spent days on multi-pitch routes on some of the world’s most demanding rock faces.
The Renewed Repair Workshop — where festival visitors can bring damaged outdoor clothing and gear for professional repair — proved a particular hit at the 2024 edition, with over 180 items repaired and demand that exceeded capacity. It returns in 2026 with expanded capacity, reflecting both the popularity of the service and The North Face’s commitment to extending the life of outdoor gear rather than encouraging replacement.
An immersive retail experience completes the on-site offering.
The Music: Rinse FM and a Full DJ Lineup
The North Face Climb Festival has always understood that great sport needs great music. The 2026 London edition is built around a partnership with Rinse FM — the east London-born radio station that began as a pirate broadcaster and grew into one of the most influential platforms in UK electronic music, now licensed and reaching millions of listeners globally.
Rinse FM’s involvement shapes the entire sonic identity of the weekend. Additional main stage acts — some of the biggest DJ names the UK has to offer — will be announced in the coming weeks. The combination of elite sport over water and a serious music programme is what gives the Climb Festival its distinctive festival-within-a-festival atmosphere.
Tickets and Access
Entry to the North Face Climb Festival is free. Registration is required — visit thenorthface.co.uk/en_gb/climbfestival.html to secure your place.
XPLR Pass members — The North Face’s loyalty programme — have the chance to win VIP tickets for the weekend, including exclusive access and a limited edition festival t-shirt.
The competition is open to entrants of all abilities as well as spectators. Aspiring participants who want to take on the Deep Water Solo wall can register to compete through the festival website.
Getting to the Royal Docks
The Royal Docks is one of east London’s best-connected areas:
- DLR: Royal Victoria or Custom House stations
- Elizabeth line: Custom House station — direct from central London, Heathrow and beyond
- Emirates Air Line / London Cable Car: provides a connection between the Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula
A Summer of Free East London Events
The North Face Climb Festival is one of several free events making east London a compelling destination this summer. If you are building a summer calendar and enjoy discovering what London’s festival scene has to offer beyond the mainstream, our guide to the London Clown Festival’s 10th anniversary covers one of the capital’s most distinctive and genuinely original arts events — running at Soho Theatre and Jacksons Lane from 30 May through to 13 July, with international performers and a free opening cabaret that sells out every year.
Quick Reference: North Face Climb Festival London 2026
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Dates | Friday 17 – Saturday 18 July 2026 |
| Location | Royal Docks, East London |
| Entry | Free — registration required |
| Wall height | 14 metres |
| Format | Deep Water Solo — no ropes, water below |
| Athletes | Molly Thompson-Smith, Fay Manners, Siebe Vanhee |
| Music partner | Rinse FM |
| Family activities | Bouldering walls on land, dyno competition |
| Nearest station | Custom House (Elizabeth line), Royal Victoria (DLR) |
| Register | thenorthface.co.uk/en_gb/climbfestival.html |
All event information is based on confirmed details from The North Face UK as of May 2026. Full schedule, athlete announcements and music lineup will be updated at thenorthface.co.uk/en_gb/climbfestival.html.
