The North Face Brings Climb Festival To Brooklyn: Crafting Community in Niche Spaces
After stopping at Salt Lake City and Chicago, The North Face presented their Climb Festival in Brooklyn! This thrilling weekend at Brooklyn Bridge Park was chalk-full of finals leaving winners with big bags of money.
Men's Semifinals, photo credit: Boone Speed
If climbers weren’t brave enough to take the road least traveled, like Climb Fest’s 55-foot wall, PSICO BLOC, maybe they are for daring to dip in the East River.
The event had pro athletes, insightful panels, exhilarating music sets, and satiating food trucks. Olympic Silver Medalists, Brooke Raboutou and Nathaniel Coleman participated in the festival while the curators perused the crowd, emphasizing climbing’s culture.
Chris Sharma chatting with Climb Fest guest photo credit: Boone Speed
Similar to Web3, climbing is a niche space with strong bonds that exceed its popularization and just became an Olympic sport in 2020 despite its long global history. Like Web3, the space gained notoriety in recent years although the term was coined in 2006. What’s great about both communities is their rapid increase in diversity. Climb Fest featured elite women, parathletes, and BIPOC climbers who are passionate about the sport.
Melissa L. Ruiz, champion para climber and Black woman, spoke on climbing and her hair:
“I get my hair done because it can get sweaty, wet- it can do things. These are box braids that I can take out when I’m done and just redo at every competition. I went to a comp and got second place and didn’t expect to. So I didn’t think I’d be on the podium and didn’t have my hair done. That was the last time; every comp since, I’ve gotten braids in some bright-ass color. So I’m now known as ‘the girl with the crazy hair.’ You can make it part of your climbing identity. We gotta come out here and show up. We gotta come out here and represent because who else is gonna do it? ”
Melissa L. Ruiz climbing PSICO BLOC photo cred: Ryland West
Then there’s Champion climber, and new mother, Emily Harrington, who detailed her experience with the sport postpartum:
“It’s definitely been a roller coaster. It’s been a lot of learning and growth. Some things are really amazing and give me strength. I really appreciate the time I can get to go climbing a lot more because it’s so much more limited. It’s really for me to be a good mom if I haven’t taken care of myself first. One of the most important things for me is having some time for myself, whether that’s going for a walk or just being outside. ”
Emily Harrington climbing PSICO BLOC photo cred: Andre Dahlman
These athletes are just a couple of examples of how diverse the climbing space is. They’ve garnered awards, friends, and joy in the sport. A similar sentiment is made about Web3 communities. The outdoor and digital spaces still harbor a sense of belonging and passion as people find their way in both spaces.
To learn more, check out The North Face.
Rebecca Blanc is a first-gen Haitian American writer who loves creating pieces covering music, tech, and lifestyle. She’s a Brooklyn boomerang, born in Flatbush and raised in Central Florida, explaining her open-mindedness and sanguine disposition. She’s passionate about freely living out of the box and can be spotted with a fresh full set at her favorite park.
