London Boroughs Ski Sunday in Surbiton 2026
St Mark's Hill, London · Organized by The Community Brain
- Dates
- Oct 11, 2026
- Time
- 11:00 – 13:00
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Format
- In person
- Where
- St Mark's Hill, London
- Tickets
- Free
- Organizer
- The Community Brain
There is no snow in Surbiton and there never has been, which is the entire premise. On Sunday 11 October 2026, between 11am and 1pm, part of St Mark's Hill is given over to people going down it in a bathtub, or with blocks of ice strapped to their feet, and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames lists it among its events with a straight face.
What it costs and who may enter
Free, to watch and to take part. There is no ballot and no booking: the council's listing says simply to turn up if you fancy a go. The one hard condition is age — the run is for over-18s only. Safety equipment is provided, or you may bring your own, along with a costume of your choice.
The Ski Sunday challenge
The challenge itself is run by The Pickled Pantry and fills the full 11am to 1pm. The event is organised by The Community Brain, the Surbiton arts and heritage organisation behind the borough's better-known inventions.
Then everybody eats
At 1.15pm the crowd moves to Claremont Gardens, KT6 4BN, for The King's Soup — a communal vegetarian eating experience that runs until 4.30pm. It is the same afternoon and a five-minute walk, so the sensible plan is both rather than either.
Getting to Surbiton
St Mark's Hill, Surbiton, KT6 4PJ, in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. Surbiton station is a short walk away and on the fast line into Waterloo, which makes this one of the easiest borough events in London to reach without a car — and given that the road is the venue, the car is not much use anyway.
The Sunday before
A week earlier, on 4 October, Japan Matsuri filled Trafalgar Square for the day: another free Sunday of the early autumn, and considerably more decorous.
The thing worth knowing about this one is that it is short: two hours, one hill, and no repeat performance. That makes the eleven o'clock start rather than the half-time arrival the sensible plan, and it makes the free soup afterwards more than an afterthought — The King's Soup runs until half past four, which is what turns a two-hour spectacle into an afternoon. Both halves are free and both are a five-minute walk apart, so the only thing being spent here is a Sunday. One would come out by train, since the road itself is closed for the occasion, and stay for the second half.
St Mark's Hill on the map
Ski Sunday in Surbiton 2026: questions
When is Ski Sunday in Surbiton 2026?
Sunday 11 October 2026, from 11am to 1pm, on St Mark's Hill in Surbiton. It is followed by The King's Soup at Claremont Gardens from 1.15pm to 4.30pm.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. It is a free event organised by The Community Brain, with no ticket and no booking — you turn up if you would like a go or would like to watch.
Is there an age limit?
Yes. The run is for over-18s only. Safety equipment is provided, or you can bring your own.
Do I need a bathtub?
No. The council's listing offers riding part of St Mark's Hill in a bathtub or strapping blocks of ice to your feet as the two illustrations of the idea, and adds that you may bring a costume of your choice.
Which London borough is Surbiton in?
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, in south-west London. St Mark's Hill has the postcode KT6 4PJ.
Source: Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames checked against the source
