How it all began...

In October 1980, Kendal hosted a new two-day event named the Kendal Mountaineering Film Festival. Tickets were £5 and visitors were promised art, seminars, films, photography and – most importantly – “two bars”.

The original group of six founders — Alan Evans, Jess Stock, Ian Wall, John Porter, Jim Curran and Brian Hall — planted the seeds of what would grow into one of the world’s leading mountain festivals. Their early ambition was modest, with the event originally conceived in part to raise funds for expeditions. As John Porter later reflected, “We started it in 1980 as an annual event, then went climbing for a while."

Over the years, the Festival has truly evolved, driven by a new generation of organisers, partners, and an ever-growing community of outdoor enthusiasts.

Its popularity has attracted increasingly large audiences and a veritable ‘who’s who’ from the world of climbing and mountaineering — from Yvon Chouinard and Reinhold Messner to Catherine Destivelle, Lynn Hill, Ueli Steck, Tommy Caldwell, and Lakpha Sherpa, among many others who have graced the Kendal stage.

In film, Kendal became a launchpad and international showcase for mountain and outdoor storytelling, premiering classics like The Bat and the Wicked, Five Days One Summer, Hard Grit, Touching The Void, 14 Peaks, The Rescue, and Free Solo.

The Festival cemented its status as the UK’s main annual social event for outdoor enthusiasts and built a strong global reputation.

Without doubt – the world’s premier cultural gathering for the outdoor sector' – Jane Dunford, The Guardian, 2023

Best UK literary festivals and book fairs in 2023, Kendal Mountain Book Festival celebrates the “very best in nature and mountain literature" – The Week publication, 2023.

Independent research conducted in 2024 by the Tourism Resources Company, calculated the Festival now brings an estimated £3.76 million into the local economy, whilst supporting 66 full time equivalent jobs and a core team of 15 locally-based employees.

Now moving into its fifth decade, the Festival remains firmly rooted in the spirit of adventure that inspired its beginnings — but it has also grown into something much bigger. Today’s team — climbers, skiers, bikers, runners and paddlers themselves — are as passionate about exploring the outdoors as they are about producing a world-renowned event.

The vision remains clear: to inspire more people to explore, respect and represent mountains, wilderness and their cultures. In today’s world, that mission feels more vital than ever.

Thank you for being part of the Kendal Mountain Festival story — here’s to the next 40+ years!

Kendal today

Adventure comes in all shapes and sizes and so does our Festival

  • Over 300 speakers
  • World and UK film premieres
  • An international film competition
  • Entertaining events celebrating 12 adventure sports
  • A free to enter vibrant tented Basecamp village with two speaker stages
  • Free Family Adventure Film sessions
  • Free online and live local school events
  • A rich programme of literature talks with book launches
  • Mountain inspired art
  • Engagement and interaction with the world's best outdoor brands
  • A fast and furious 10km 'ish trail run, plus and long and beautiful 50km Ultra 
  • Local food and drink
  • Plus live music and endless dance floor moves at a whole range of Festival parties...and much more!
Close
© Kendal Mountain Festival 2024
Top