I just got back from one of the most fun, unique, and joy-filled weekends of my life. It combined some of my favourite things: festival vibes, new experiences, live music and exploring. Yet that description doesn’t even start to cover what Camp Wildfire is all about. Camp Wildfire describes itself as an American-style Summer camp for adults. While that sentence does give you an idea, it’s impossible to capture the spirit, adventure and fun of this event in such short terms, so let me try and answer some of the many questions I had on Instagram when I was posting about this event. I’m going to be honest with you, my goal here is to get you to go, because I’m so glad I did! I want as many people to experience this because I just know you will love it!
What is Camp Wildfire?
Maybe you saw Camp Wildfire’s pitch on Dragons’ Den, or possibly you’ve seen someone you know do a Camp Wildfire weekend and come back raving about it and wondered just what the hell it is? Well, as mentioned, it’s an American-style summer camp for adults, but what does that actually mean? Part festival, part activity weekend, Camp Wildfire has it all and then some!
Personally, I found that Camp Wilfire felt like it was split into 2 parts. You spend the daytime hours trying new activities, or maybe revisiting ones you already enjoy. There are hundreds of different experiences at Camp Wildfire, ranging from dance classes to terrarium making to flying trapeze and countless more besides. There really is something for everyone, whether you want to try something quiet and relaxing like a sound bath, thrilling like aerial hoop or learn a new skill like pottery, there’ll be something for you. I managed to fit so much into my short weekend that I’d never tried before, like Stand Up Paddleboarding, Tree Climbing, space science and even terrazzo (where I got to bring home my own souvenir). That’s just a taste of the things I got up to, I already have an extensive list of things I want to try on my next trip! During these activities, you can gain patrol points to help your patrol win the weekend, more on this later! If you don’t want to do tons of back-to-back activities, you don’t have to do that either; you can spend some time relaxing in the woods or chilling at your tent, your pacing and choices are totally up to you. There’s even a spa in the middle of the woodlands if you want to spend an hour totally unwinding in the hot tubs and steam rooms.
Then there’s the night! By night, it’s party time, and it becomes much more like what you expect from a festival. With four stages offering a variety of different entertainment that goes on to the wee hours, there’s everything from talks and comedians, to bands and amazing DJs. You’ll be sure to stay up well after your bedtime dancing in the dark!
What are patrols, and do I have to join one?
There are four patrols at Camp Wildfire, Foxes. Badgers, Hawks and Squirrels. These are basically groups for you to be part of during the event. During your activities, you can earn petrol points to help push your patrol to the top of the leaderboard by the weekend’s end to see who’s the Camp Wildfire winner! There are other ways of gaining points too, by being kind or joining in the patrol games, for instance.
Do you have to pick a patrol? No, you don’t, you can enjoy the weekend without it; however, having one to get behind and cheer on really enhances the weekend! I’ll be honest, I was sceptical. Can British people really get behind this kind of stuff? But to my shock, they do, and I was surprised at how quickly I got caught up in being team Badger too! Loads of people get dressed up and go all out for their patrols, but if you want to sit back and cheer from the background, that’s more than fine too! Your patrol leaders are also great if you have any questions, guidance or just want to make new friends!
Where is Camp Wildfire?
It’s in a gorgeous historic woodland near Sevenoaks, Kent, just 40 minutes from London! There’s a shuttle bus from to and from the nearest train station for those without a car.
When is Camp Widfire?
Camp Wildfire happens over two different weekends in August, so pick whichever suits you!
How much is Camp Wildfire?
Tickets will vary depending on what level of accommodation and how many activity credits you want, but prices start from around £250. Super early bird tickets are on sale from the 3rd of October, and the events usually sell out, so grab your tickets now!
Where do you sleep at Camp Wildfire?
Just like a music festival, there is a range of camping options, including bringing your own tent or campervan on one side, all the way to a bougy bell tent with electricity and a fancy campbed on the other. And there’s quiet camping and solo camping for those who know what they need in their evenings. As someone who has been camping at festivals for 20 years, I can honestly say these are the nicest campsites I’ve used and by far the most friendly!
What about food?
There’s a great range of food available and you never have to queue for it, or anything for that matter! It’s just one part of how carefully this is curated. My partner is vegan and never went hungry; in fact, we both had one of the best ice creams of our lives at Camp Wildfire. If you don’t want to buy food, there are cooking areas so you can make your own.
There, that’s my unashamed sell to you about how great Camp Wildfire is, and hopefully it answers some of your questions. It is honestly one of the most unique, fun and adventure-filled weekends you’ll find in the UK, and even if you don’t think it’s for you, I guarantee you’ll find tons here to enjoy. So grab your tickets and prepare to get behind your patrol for a weekend you’ll never forget at Camp Wildfire! Have any questions I’ve not answered? Drop them in the comments!
