The AAF Story So Far

Five years of AAF...

Five Years of the Armchair Adventure Festival – Let’s Celebrate You!

It’s hard to believe it’s been five whole years since the first Armchair Adventure Festival. What started as a way to share stories during lockdown has grown into an incredible community of adventurers, dreamers, and doers—both online and in person. And this year, to mark our fifth birthday, we want to celebrate the best part of AAF: you.

We’re calling for your stories—whether it’s how AAF inspired your next adventure, connected you to new friends, or simply gave you a memory you’ll never forget. Share your moments with us, and we might feature them online or at this year’s festival. Plus, there’ll be prizes at AAF25 for the best ones!

You can share your stories here.

As we gather your stories, we thought we’d share the AAF story so far...

Living rooms become campsites in 202

2020 – The Armchair Adventure Festival is Born

It all began in the first COVID lockdown. Furloughed from our day jobs, we (Matt and Reece) were spending our days creating content from our round-the-world trip in a scooter and sidecar. Matt was finishing the first draft of Our Ridiculous World (Trip) and Reece was working on the film. But with no summer festivals to promote them at, we had a crazy idea: why not create our own?

We envisioned a small Zoom gathering of a hundred or so, with friends sharing tales of wild adventures. But three weeks later, thanks to tech-man-Todd, we were live-streaming to thousands of adventurers across the world. Over one weekend, 40,000 people tuned in, and together we raised £10,000 for NHS Charities Together. Living rooms turned into campsites, back gardens into motorbike tracks—it was magic. A community was born.

2021 – From Screens to Soil: AAF Goes Live

After a year of virtual events, we were ready to bring the Armchair Adventure community together in the real world. We chose the stunning Mount Edgcumbe Country Park—a place close to our hearts—as the setting for the first in-person AAF.

We’d never planned a festival before, so it was a steep learning curve (read: chaos), but the spirit of the online events came alive in the field, and AAF as we know it today took shape. People laughed, camped, shared stories, and yes—finally saw us from the neck down.

AAF goes live! Tiffany wins best effort for BYOAC in 2021

2022 – Mud, Wind, and Magic

AAF22 nearly doubled in size. Everyone who came the year before brought someone with them—friends, family, even pets! The weather during the festival was kind, but the setup and breakdown were a nightmare. Rain, wind, and some very soggy tents taught us that late September might not be our best bet, so we moved AAF23 to July.

2023 – Weather Woes: Round Two

Ah, the irony. We moved the festival for better weather... and Cornwall gave us its finest wind and rain anyway. Locals chuckled and told us September was actually more reliable. Still, the community didn’t miss a beat. When the storm hit during James Levelle’s talk on climate change, we huddled together behind hay bale walls and danced through the downpour with Land of the Giants. It all added to the adventure.

A weird trip around the world by scooter and sidecar that led to the UKs best celebration of adventure travel

2024 – Sunshine and Something Special

Everything just clicked. The sun shone, the speakers wowed, the bands rocked, and the atmosphere was something you could bottle. With a new stage and our biggest crowd yet—around 1,500 of you—we had more content, more energy, and more joy than ever before. The friendships forged, stories shared, and memories made were unforgettable. And we’re determined to top it in 2025.

2025 – The Biggest Birthday Bash Yet?

This is it—AAF25. Five years of adventure, and we’re going all out. We’ve added the brand-new Armchair Adventure Cinema, and there’ll be more speakers, live music, workshops, films, and activities than ever before. Oh—and cake. It’s a birthday party, after all! (Don't miss it and grab your tickets here.)

Most importantly, we want this year’s celebration to be filled with your stories. Has AAF sparked your wanderlust? Inspired a trip? Introduced you to someone amazing? We want to hear all about it.

Submit your story below, and you might just see it featured at the festival!

Ready to share your adventure?

[Submit Your Story Here]