Skip to the content

Everything you need to know for Cliffhanger weekend

cliffhanger image
cliffhanger image

Once again the event will be taking place in association with Sheffield BID and will see a host of FREE events and activities spread across various city centre locations such as the Peace Gardens, Barkers Pool, Millennium Square, Devonshire Green and the Winter Garden.

The festival will kick off on Friday evening in Devonshire Green with an evening of live music and refreshments from a range of food and drink outlets. Then on Saturday and Sunday, Sheffield will be transformed into a giant outdoor playground, with professional demonstrations and activities including climbing, mountain biking, running, skateboarding, orienteering and much more.

The La Sportiva BMC British Bouldering Championships is also returning to provide the star attraction of the weekend, where the nation’s strongest male and female climbers will battle it out on a purpose-built bouldering wall on Devonshire Green.

Admission to Cliffhanger is once again completely FREE, though there may be a small charge for some of the activities. Full details are available on the Cliffhanger website.

https://youtu.be/FWsp5yn8SMs

Your Guide to What's On


Friday 5 July


5pm-10pm. Devonshire Green
The Cliffhanger festival party will kick off the weekend’s events, open in time for post-work drinks from 5pm, with live music running into the evening from 6.15pm through to 10pm.

Saturday 6 July


10am-5pm. Devonshire Green
Various have-a-go activities around the site including several climbing walls for all ages, orienteering with a special maze set up amongst the trees, plus a large caving installation for younger ones.

A range of range of outdoor kit traders, street food stalls and a bar, will also be on site. True North Brewing Co. will be opening up their outside bar, right next to Devonshire Green while The Forum Kitchen Bar also has a front row seat to all the action.

10am – 4pm. Devonshire Green
British Bouldering Championships qualifiers. Watch the nation’s strongest male and female climbers will battle it out to qualify for Sunday’s championship titles.

4.15pm-10pm. Devonshire Green
Live music will be back on stage after the bouldering championship qualifying has taken place. 

10am-5pm. Peace Gardens & Millennium Square
Set to be one of the most active areas of Cliffhanger weekend with a host of activities on offer. Take on the Tough Guy circuit, or go for a dip in the Dive World scuba pool.

BMX demo roadshow, Extreme Wheels will be setting up camp in Millennium Square once again to showcase their spectacular skills throughout the day.

There’ll also be skateboarding demos and have-a-go sessions, various inflatables for all ages bouncing, a fun assault course, plus a host of kid’s activities from Heart Radio.

A number of traders, refreshment stands and street food concessions will also be dotted around the activity zones.

For a little time-out, pop to the nearby Winter Gardens where a variety stalls including Ecclesall Woods Crafts, RSPB, Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust  and artist Reyt good illustrator will be on display 

10am-5pm. Barker’s Pool

The main spectacle on Barker's Pool will be the Zip Line, returning to give festival-goers city centre thrills as they whizz down a high wire next to Sheffield City Hall.

Down below, British Cycling will also be setting up camp with a range of interactive bike activities, perfect for a taster if you or your little ones are just getting into cycling.

A host of colourful fairground rides and food stalls will also be set up in Bakers Pool. 

Sunday 7 July


9am-8pm. Devonshire Green

The La Sportiva BMC British Bouldering Championships return to the heart of Sheffield. Watch the UK’s finest home-grown athletes test their mettle against each other in this senior-only, IFSC Boulder World Cup style event.

10am-5pm. Devonshire Green, Peace Gardens & Millennium Square, and Barker’s Pool

Have-a-go activities and demos as per Saturday’s listings.

BMC Bouldering Championships


The competition will once again take place LIVE on a purpose-built bouldering wall right in the heart of Sheffield's city centre and provide the headline spectacle in at Cliffhanger festival.

The BBCs are completely FREE to watch. If you can't make it to Sheffield, all the action of the La Sportiva BMC British Bouldering Championships will be available to watch LIVE on BBC iPlayer on 7 July.

Follow @Team_BMC on Twitter or BMC on Facebook

https://youtu.be/AJblqBRdPrE

Bouldering timetable


Saturday 6 July

Males and females will climb in single groups and starting order for qualification will be derived from the 2018 BBC rankings and then at random (if you did not compete last year) and will be posted online on Friday evening.

    • 1000: Male & Female registration/isolation opens

 

    • 1100: Male & Female registration/isolation closes

 

    • 1130: Male & Female qualification begins: 5 blocs – 5 min on, 5 min off

 

    • 1700: Male & Female qualification finishes



Sunday 7 July

    • 0900: Isolation for semi-finalists opens

 

    • 1000: Isolation for semi-finalists closes

 

    • 1030: Semi-final begins: 4 blocs – 5 min on, 5 min off

 

    • 1245: Semi-final finishes

 

    • 1515: Isolation opens

 

    • 1615: Isolation closes

 

    • 1720: Presentation of finalists and observation period

 

    • 1730: Final begins: 4 blocs, 4 mins

 

    • 1930: Final finishes

 

    • 1945: Prize giving