The UK's inaugural Adventure Motorcycle Film Festival drew a full house of 260 attendees at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, Cumbria, on February 28, 2026. Organized by podcast hosts Clive Barber and Simon Josey, the event showcased selected bike travel films and awarded prizes to standout entries. Planners are already preparing for an expanded edition next year.
The one-day event marked the debut of the UK's first dedicated festival for adventure motorcycle films, filling all 260 seats at the Brewery Arts Centre well before the holiday season. Clive Barber, co-organizer and host of the Trail and Adventure Motorbike Podcast, described the turnout as a clear win. "It was massively successful – everybody seemed to love it, and we’ve had absolutely loads of positive feedback," Barber said in an interview with Motorcycle News.
Simon Josey, host of the Reel Riders Podcast, joined Barber in curating the program from 52 submissions, selecting 12 films for screening: four full features and eight shorts. The evening included an awards ceremony where four honors were presented. Yalla Habibi!, produced by Canadian channel FortNine, took both Best Film and Best Feature. Hey Kid, directed by Daniel Stark of 6ix Sigma Productions, won Best Short Film, while Danny Lilwall's Uganda by Motorcycle earned the People's Choice award.
Sponsors Adventure Spec, Mitas Tyres, and Ethos Supply cafe contributed to the excitement by offering nine prizes through a seat-draw system, with every ticket holder eligible. Barber noted plans to grow the event, potentially expanding capacity to 340 seats in the same venue for 2027 and possibly introducing a VIP Friday ticket option.
Held during the winter months, the festival provided inspiration for motorcycle enthusiasts, featuring aspirational content on big screens. Organizers encouraged visitors to check the event's website for more details.