Outdoor City Weekender to return to Sheffield for second year

Bikers, climbers, runners and walkers will unite in March for Sheffield's second Outdoor City Weekender.
The Magnificient Seven event at the 2016 Outdoor City Weekender festival. Photo: Jeremy AbrahamsThe Magnificient Seven event at the 2016 Outdoor City Weekender festival. Photo: Jeremy Abrahams
The Magnificient Seven event at the 2016 Outdoor City Weekender festival. Photo: Jeremy Abrahams

The festival, which had a successful debut last year, will run in and around the city from March 17 to 19.

The headline events will again be the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, the Climbing Works International Festival and the Magnificent Seven hill climb challenge.

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Joining them for the first time is the Howard Street Dual – a head-to-head mountain bike race in which two riders battle each other to see who can make it down a purpose-built track the fastest.

The festival is part of Sheffield's branding as The Outdoor City.

The city council's deputy leader Leigh Bramall said: “Sheffield is increasingly cementing its position as the UK’s Outdoor City, and the Weekender is an opportunity to really showcase the unique offer that we have here.

“The festival is about pulling our outdoor events together and celebrating the people, places and activities that make us The Outdoor City.

A mountain biker at the Parkwood Springs track in Sheffield. Photo: Duncan PhilpottA mountain biker at the Parkwood Springs track in Sheffield. Photo: Duncan Philpott
A mountain biker at the Parkwood Springs track in Sheffield. Photo: Duncan Philpott
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“By promoting these events as one big ‘festival of the outdoors’ we can showcase the very best of Sheffield not just to visitors, but to those who already live, work and play here but would like to try something different.”

One of the toughest events will be The Magnificent Seven, a 27-mile cycle route over Sheffield's seven hills.

The film festival, based at the Showroom Cinema and Sheffield Hallam University, has five themes - bike, run, adrenaline, adventure, and young adventurers. It has been running for 12 years but is now a key part of the Weekender.

The Climbing Works festival attracted 450 competitors from 23 countries and all abilities in 2016, with similar numbers expected this year.

A mountain biker at the Parkwood Springs track in Sheffield. Photo: Duncan PhilpottA mountain biker at the Parkwood Springs track in Sheffield. Photo: Duncan Philpott
A mountain biker at the Parkwood Springs track in Sheffield. Photo: Duncan Philpott
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And the Howard Street Dual, on March 18, will challenge mountain bikers to tackle a course of grassy and gritty slops from Hallam Square towards the railway station. Some of the sport's top names are expected to take part.

For more information on the Weekender, visit www.theoutdoorcity.co.uk/outdoor-city-weekender.

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