Ukrainian climbers hold annual festival near Kyiv combining climbing and music

Hundreds of people camped and climbed a granite cliff overlooking a river in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region during the Stoned Climbers festival held last week. By day participants climbed the 25-meter rock face, swam in a nearby reservoir, or used stand-up paddleboards. In the evening live bands and DJs performed while visitors received multiple air-raid alerts on their phones.

Festival background and purpose The event, launched in 2023 by about 15 friends, is Ukraine's largest outdoors gathering that combines climbing and live music. Organizers directed all profits to a fundraising initiative supporting Ukraine's Azov Brigade.

Festival co-founder Dmytro Isaienko, 39, said the group wanted to show that climbing could be more than an elite sport. Attendance rose from roughly 150 visitors at the first event to more than 500 this summer, most of them beginners.

Instruction and participant experience Instructors helped newcomers fasten harnesses and locate holds on the granite wall. Spectators and other climbers applauded each time someone reached the top, often for the first time. Liliia Karpach, 21, traveled from the Lviv region for her first outdoor climb in a long time.

She said the activity serves as both mental and physical exercise and encouraged others to bring friends if they feel nervous. Instructor Andrii Lamei, 24, said helping first-time climbers gain confidence is one of the most rewarding parts of the festival.

He noted that climbing helps people work with stress but added that current travel restrictions prevent him from climbing outside Ukraine.