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Aren't festivals great? There are few things more freeing to do with a weekend than to disappear into the countryside with the friends to dance and be merry. That said, once you've done a few festivals, it can start to feel like you've done them all. Recently we've been thinking there must be a festival out there that can combine all that hedonism with our love of adventure and the outdoors.
This summer, we've been inspired by KEEN's Better Takes Action campaign to try to take action in our lives to make them as amazing as possible, so we decided this festival season to find something even more spectacular than what we've experienced before. What we found is Camp Wildfire, a three-day adult adventure playground, sprinkled with the magic of a festival and the fun-filled whimsy of cocktail and cider bars in the woods.
How does a weekend spent tree climbing, hovercraft racing, rafting and extreme water sliding sound for taking action of your weekend? How about if that weekend also had secret forest parties, live music and dancing through the night? It may sound far too good to be a real place, however this is exactly what Camp Wildfire is offering this summer, in a secret location in the countryside outside of London.
Wildfire is half adventure camp, half music festival. From the same minds that created Leefest and Neverland Festival, and supported by KEEN Footwear, this event is a combination of Wes Anderson vibes, adventures and wild parties in a secret forest in the UK.
The festival runs activities for all tastes and ability levels, with attendees competing against each other to earn points for their team (given to you, sorting hat style, on your first night). Then, the site transforms into a midsummer night's dream inspired party when the sun goes down and the teams return to their tents to grab a beer, put on some glitter and get ready to dance until dawn.
The site transforms into a midsummer night’s dream inspired party when the sun goes down
This may be a music festival with the usual beer and cocktail bars onsite, however there's no sitting around sipping G&Ts in the sun during these days. With so many new experiences to try and a Camp Wildfire Cup to win, you'd be better up with the lark and ready to get stuck in.
Camp Wildfire has an endless supply of ridiculously fun activities including Hovercraft Racing, Freefall Jumping, Live Music, Secret Parties, DJs, Wild Obstacle Course, Axe Throwing, Circus Aerial, Beekeeping, Survival Run, Archery Battles, Raft Building, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Tree Climbing, Sword Fighting Extreme Water Slide, Firelighting, Pioneering, Astronomy, Zombie Run, Acrylic Jewellery, Bush Tucker Trial, Nipple Tassels, Shelter Building, Wild Dodgeball, Yoga, Wildfire Apothecary, Power Tools, Escape & Evade, Wood Whittling, Trapping and Giant Catapult Building... There's no chance that you'll want to be drinking on the sidelines anyway.
If you want to make the most of the gorgeous location and crazy adventures, you'll need to be quick on your feet, so we can see why KEEN Footwear is supporting Wildfire this summer. Not only is this camp based in the woodlands and kind of green spaces that KEEN want us to all explore as much as possible, the adventures could have been designed especially for their collection. Whether you choose the Wild Obstacle Race, the Zombie Run, the Woodland Walk or any of the other many outdoorsy challenges, you will need a good pair of Terradora shoes or boots to give you an advantage.
Think you fancy this weekend of fun and frivolity? Then you should decide which Camp Wildfire patrol you belong to, so you can start to plan your tactics for winning the Camp Cup! To make your decision a little easier, here an easy to understand breakdown of the patrol personalities. Which patrol will you be?
Camp Wildfire Patrols
Fearless Foxes
"Intelligent, creative and cunning; can be a bit of a trickster. Prefers night time but has been spotted playing in the daylight too."
Stealthy Squirrels
"Cheeky, entertaining, sociable and fearless – loves having fun with others and making the most of the day."
Bantam Badgers
"Protective, passionate, resilient and sometimes a little bit blunt. Less active through the day; really comes to life at night."
Howling Hawks
"Gentle, but determined; the strong, silent type. Very able with good mental agility – aims to be first up to catch the worms."
Think it sounds like paradise? The festival sold out completely last year, so don't wait too long before getting your adventure crew together and booking your place. Activity enrolment is opening soon some of the events have limited space available.
Camp Wildfire is held from the 31 August to the 3 September in the countryside just 40 minutes outside of London, if you fancy getting a ticket and coming along, buy them here via the Camp WildFire website.
Lace up your Terradoras, pack your bag and get ready for the weekend of a lifetime. We'll see you there…
Get out of your comfort zone
We reckon the best travel's all about trying something new, whether that’s new festivals, new cultures, new environments, new food or just a place you've never been before, and it’s also at the heart of what KEEN’s Better Takes Action campaign's all about – which is why we teamed up with the brand to go on a 72 hour micro-adventure in Marrakech, Morocco. It may be barely three hours away by plane, but once you’re in the city you’ll feel like you’re a million miles away – and you won’t want to be anywhere else.
Want to take action in your own life? Check out our Better Takes Action series below.
