Kendal Mountain Festival 2024: The Unofficial But Essential Good-Times Survival Guide
Overwhelmed by your KMF programme this year? Stop yer fretting and follow the ACM-organised roadmap to your finest festival experience ever
Can it really be a year already etc etc etc.
Another lap around the sun etc etc.
It only feels like yesterday etc etc.
Time flies etc etc.
Small talk over. It’s time to get serious.
Kendal Mountain Festival 2024 is sprinting towards us now, and hell, we’ve been busy. Real busy. Busy with more clients than ever keen to get involved. Busy with more borderline bonkers ideas that’ve been turned into reality. Busy trying our best to schmooze us an RSVP for 30 people at Comida at late notice.
And for that, we owe you an apology. The sprawling state of your full festival programme lands somewhat on our shoulders, with all the events we’ll be managing and hosting from Thursday to Sunday really adding to the overload.
So please, accept the below as a big fat gift-wrapped “Forgive us, for we know not what we have done.”*
Behold, an unofficial but totally essential guide to maxing out your KMF credits, ACM style.
Choose your Kendal character wisely, pick your events and buy your tickets here, and we’ll see you out there…
*absolute baloney. We knew exactly what we’ve done, and what we’ll be doing.
Step One: Select Your KMF Persona
Step Two: Plot Your Route
Thursday 21st November
1800 – The GORE-TEX Brand Great Mem(brains) Pub Quiz 2024 (Brewery Arts Centre)
Fill your head with 90s hip-hop lyrics before vying for the crown at our opening GORE-TEX Brand B2B bash. Crown not included.
(KL, ODOT)
Friday 22nd November
0745 – Arc’teryx Cold Plunge w/ Gilly McArthur (Lake Windemere)
It only counts if you put your head under.
(HB)
0830 – Arc’teryx WIA Yoga (KMF Basecamp)
Hair of the (downward) dog, is it?
(B, HB, GL)
1000 – YETI presents The Sound Of Stoke (The Yurt Presented by YETI)
Crank up the pump with composer CJ Mirra’s ultimate action sports movie score and talk.
(B, SD, ODOT)
1115 – Not Another Dry Talk: 35 Years Of The GORE-TEX Guarantee (GORE-TEX Brand Stage)
Nerd out in the GORE-TEX Brand archives to help celebrate 35 years of the Guaranteed To Keep You Dry promise.
(B, SD, GL)
1130 – YETI presents LS//FF Surf Shortie Showdown (The Yurt Presented by YETI)
London Surf Film Fest founders Demi and Chris duke it out with the crowd to find Kendal’s ultimate indie surf short.
(SD, BB)
1200 – Db Creative Exchange w/ Chris Burkard (Kendal Town Hall)
Luggage legends Db and ACM main man Matt Barr get IRL with their online creative panel talks and some young up-start called… Chris… Burkard? Heard of him? It’s sold out like, but we may still have some tickets in our back pocket. Hit us up if you want in.
(SD, GL)
1200 & 1430 – Arc’teryx Women’s & Mixed Bouldering (Kendal Wall)
Tip: ask ACM’s Josty for his beta (he’s the one with the 10m wingspan).
(HB, GL)
1500 – Breaking Trails: The Blind Ascent (GORE-TEX Brand Stage)
Every KMF screening claims to be “truly inspirational”. We’ll stick with “truly siiiiiick” for this GORE-TEX Brand ice-climbing gotta-see and post-film Q&A with stars Tamara Lunger and Jesse Dufton.
(SD, BB, ODOT)
1700 – YETI presents Fishtails and Folk Tunes (The Yurt Presented by YETI)
Come fill your life-envy bucket with a live show and story or two from hard-fishing steezy-surfing folk songster, Colin Macleod.
(B, ODOT)
1600 – Danner Boots & Brews (Bowness Bay Brewery)
If you know, you know. And you really want to know, yo.
(KL, ODOT, GL)
1830 – The Big Sea Live w/ Q&A (Brewery Arts Centre)
Essential viewing: a truly inspirational properly enraging investigation into surfing’s deadly relationship with neoprene.
(SD, GL, ODOT, B)
Saturday 23rd November
0700 – Arc’teryx Sunrise Hike (Basecamp)
Hahahahaha you wanted a “lie-in”? Hahaha!
(HB)
0900 – Arc’teryx Trail Run (Basecamp)
We’ve left you plenty of time to double up on your dippy eggs before this women-only warm-up with Sophie Power.
(HB, GL)
0930 – Not Another Sausage Fest (The Yurt Presented by YETI)
If your B&B breakfast bangers are not up to scratch, we’ve got you. BBQ chats and local brats ahoy with grill royalty, Genevieve Taylor.
(SL, GL, B)
1000/1100 – TERREX 10km Warm-Up / Start (Kendal High St)
Or more commonly known as The Kendal Killer. In a really good way, obvs…
(HB)
1115 – GORE-TEX Natural Energy (GORE-TEX Brand Stage)
Pro forager and outdoor chef Stu Woodman (100% real name) had us at “wild Kendal Mint Cake”. Come get some free grub and off-menu all-natural treats.
(SL, GL, ODOT, KL)
1200 – YETI presents Leo Houlding talk (The Yurt Presented by YETI)
Listen in as renowned British climber Leo Houlding chats with mountaineering greatness, in the shape of Paul Pritchard. It’s gonna get big.
(SD, ODOT)
1700 – Breaking Trails: The Reasons We Ride (GORE-TEX Brand Stage)
Jackie Paaso in the hoooouse. See the freeride hero in action in this new truly inspirational mega GORE-TEX Brand backcountry film, then grab the mic for a question or two.
(SD, BB, ODOT)
2000 – Arc’teryx Women In Adventure Session (Kendal Town Hall)
Bigger and better than ever? 100% cliché. 100% truth.
(SD, GL, ODOT, HB)
2200 – Arc’teryx Afterparty (Kendal Town Hall)
What happens at the afterparty stays at the afterparty. Kendal’s biggest rager, and peak ACM moment.
(KL, SD, GL, B, HB, ODOT)
Sunday 24th November
0800 – GORE-TEX Brand + SportsShoes + Unsanctioned Athletics: The Road Vs Trail Race (GORE-TEX Brand Stage)
Alien versus Predator. King Kong versus Godzilla. Freddy versus Jason. Alien versus Predator 2. The world’s biggest battles have been fought on the world’s greatest stages. And this duel between road runners and trail racers will be no different. Less gory though, and with an added truly inspirational mega delicious GORE-TEX Brand Breaking Trails film to round it off.
(HB, GL)
1000 – YETI Communitea (The Yurt Presented by YETI)
Campfire’s lit, kettle’s on, brews are ready. Meet us in the yurt for a laid-back natter about all things community, with a pick of our fave outdoor changemakers.
(B)
1045 – GORE-TEX ASMR (GORE-TEX Brand Stage)
Hangover? Not surprised, mate. Don our headphones and plug into a mind-massaging ASMR sesh that’ll bring you back to life.
(KL, ODOT, HB, GL)
1500 - Looking Sideways Special - The Announcement Live (Barrel House)
Our Matt Barr - yeah, him off that Looking Sideways podcast - has a big project to shout about: his documentary, The Announcement, which digs into Patagonia’s decision to make Earth its only shareholder. He’ll be recording a special live episode from Kendal to give it the soapbox is deserves, alongside guests Phil Young, Lauren MacCallum, and KMF Director, Steve Scott.
If you’re heading Kendal this year, hit us up in the comments and we’ll grab that pint, yeah?