Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
55-foot-tall climbing wall comes to Brooklyn Bridge Park for The North Face Climb Festival
By
Andrew Giambrone
Published Aug 23, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Courtesy Joe Hale/The North Face
By
Andrew Giambrone
Published Aug 23, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
It’s not a stairway to heaven, but it does offer elevated views of New York City’s skyline.
A 55-foot climbing wall is in place off Pier 5 at Brooklyn Bridge Park for The North Face Climb Festival, which is billed as a two-day “celebration of climbing and culture” with a competition, panel discussions, live DJ sets and food trucks. It’s the festival’s first time in the city, and it’s free and open to the public on Friday and Saturday, according to the organizers.
While only registered competitors will be allowed to scale the curved wall and fall into the water below, a smaller bouldering wall will be on site for guests. Climbing legends like Alex Honnold (of 2018 National Geographic documentary “Free Solo” fame) and Chris Sharma, as well as Hood Hikers founder Jasmine Guadalupe and Bridge Runners founder Mike Saes, are expected to participate in panels on Saturday, along with other athletes.
The competition on the 55-foot wall kicks off on Friday morning, with more than 100 competitors across open and paraclimbing categories. The water below the wall will be deep enough to ensure safe falls, and the wall is wide enough for two identical climbing routes, organizers said.
Competitors must be at least 18 years old and able to swim. Winners in each category will receive $4,000 for first place, $2,000 for second and $500 for third.
A water safety team and medic will be on hand for any potential issues, and ropes are available for anyone who wants to use them, according to The North Face. Movement Gyms, which has climbing facilities in Gowanus, Long Island City and Harlem, will host the guest-use bouldering wall, and DJ sets will be curated by the Lot Radio. The event takes place rain or shine, and the wall has previously been featured in London, Shanghai and Chicago, where the inaugural festival took place last year.
The festival closes with a party hosted by concert collective Renegade and Brazilian DJ Beltran at 8 p.m. on Saturday. See the full schedule here.
The North Face Climb Festival opens at 10 a.m. on both Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24.
Tagged
North Face
climbing
new york city
brooklyn
brooklyn bridge park
sports
Andrew Giambrone
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park
People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.
By
Charles Lane
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .