Max SteventonRaccoon Media Group and Kendal Mountain Events will launch North Downs Mountain Festival, a three-day outdoor festival taking place at Shalford Park, Guildford, Surrey, from 11-13 June 2027.
The sister event to Kendal Mountain Festival, its organisers said and the Surrey festival will feature adventure films, speakers, authors, artists, outdoor activities, sporting events, music, food and workshops.
North Downs Mountain Festival will feature a Basecamp Village, which will bring together partner brands, outdoor equipment, food and drink, alongside a series of activity areas.
The Wild Water area will feature kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and open-water swimming, while The Big Blue will cover surfing, kiting, sailing and freediving. Vertical Worlds will focus on climbing and bouldering, while The Trails will feature road, trail and gravel cycling, bikepacking and trail running distances ranging from 10km to ultra distances.
Other areas will include Backcountry, covering hiking, navigation and wild camping; Nature Connection, focused on wildlife, conservation and ecology; and The Story House, which will host films, books and talks. Skills & Creativity will feature practical workshops and creative sessions.
The festival will be located less than an hour from London by rail. The surrounding area provides access to the North Downs Way, Newlands Corner and Box Hill.
Kendal Mountain Festival was established in 1980 and attracts more than 25,000 visitors each year, according to the organisers. The festival also generates up to £4 million for the Cumbrian economy.
“The launch of North Downs Mountain Festival is a defining moment for Raccoon Media Group,” said its CEO Mike Seaman. “Kendal Mountain Festival is globally respected across the adventure world and this partnership brings together a powerful combination of heritage, community and launch expertise.
“We have talked for a long time about what a true southern outdoor festival could look like, and this feels like the right moment, the right location and the right partnership. What makes it even more special is that it is happening on our doorstep. Raccoon’s HQ is based in Guildford, and the North Downs is a landscape our team knows and loves. We cannot wait to welcome the outdoor community here next summer.”
Kendal Mountain Festival CEO Jacqui Scott said, “Kendal has always been about more than a place. It is about people, stories, adventure and the shared experience of being outdoors. Partnering with Raccoon Media Group gives us the opportunity to take that spirit to a new stage and create something genuinely exciting for the South of England.”