North Face Climb Festival 2026 Docks Deep Water Solo

The North Face Climb Festival held its 2026 edition in London's Royal Docks on July 17-18, transforming the Royal Victoria Dock into a venue for deep water solo climbing. The sell-out event attracted approximately 16,000 participants, including climbers, creators, and fans, and featured elite competitions, athlete workshops, and a festival lineup as part of The North Face's Summer Detour campaign. A central feature was the 14-meter Deep Water Solo Wall, which rose directly from the dock water.

The competition schedule included men's and women's qualifiers, dyno battles, and awards on Friday, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the Deep Water Solo finals on Saturday. This year's festival represented a significant increase in scale compared to its 2024 iteration at Canary Wharf, which drew close to 15,000 guests over a single weekend. The relocation to the larger Royal Victoria Dock and the sell-out attendance of nearly 16,000 attendees highlight the festival's growing popularity and demand.

The festival's expansion is also linked to its broader global presence, with previous editions held in cities such as New York, Shanghai, and San Francisco. This international reach has helped establish the festival's reputation for connecting diverse climbing communities. Beyond the competitive climbing, the event emphasized access and education. The North Face athletes Molly Thompson-Smith, Fay Manners, and Siebe Vanhee participated in workshops, film screenings, and speaker sessions at the Camp 4 stage, alongside notable climbers like Alex Honnold, Conrad Anker, Brooke Raboutou, Nina Williams, Solenne Piret, and Jules Marchaland. Additional attractions included family-friendly bouldering walls, the Rhino Lab repair dome, a Columbus Ave pop-up store, and the Base Camp.