As spring is approaching, many of us are lifting our gaze towards the sun and blossoming trees. The best companion for all that beauty is a soaring kite, so to celebrate spring we want to offer you a list of world-class kite festivals in the good old USA.
One thing is for sure – some of those festivals are attracting hundreds of thousands of kite enthusiasts from around the world and we don’t want you to miss on all the action.
Huntington Beach Kite Party, CA
This festival takes place in early March, attracting real kite enthusiasts and professional flyers from all over the country. Huntington Beach is a perfect place for such activity with March winds and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Spectators can enjoy kite flyers’ skills and try their own kite flying in a separate area.
www.kiteparty.com
Zilker Kite Festival
Beginning of March in Austin, Texas
This festival is definitely entertaining for the entire family. It takes place in Zilker Park and features a lot more than just kites – you will enjoy contests, moon walks, face painting, rock wall climbing, kite making workshops, and bungee jumping. Buying food and t-shirts will support local non-profit organizations.
Since you will be in Austin, the “world capital of live music”, you will be able to enjoy live music everywhere you go, which as a nice bonus.
Blossom Kite Festival, Washington DC
End of March is for kites on East Coast too. This Washington DC kite festival attracts crowds of spectators who want to see the best kite flyers from all of the US and the world. The competition is fierce and the festivities are plentiful. The entire family will have a great time observing kite flyers’ skills and making their own kites in the activity tents, staffed with professionals.
www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
Kite Fest Louisiana, West Baton Rouge
End of March – Beginning of April
This event is free and very popular among residents and guests alike. It is estimated that over 10,000 people visit this festival every spring. This is the only kite festival in the state of Louisiana, so no wonder people flock to enjoy the weather and learn about making kites, design, indoor kites, and even kites for night flying that feature LED lights. The smallest visitors always enjoy candy-dropping kites flying right overhead.
www.westbatonrouge.net
Kids and Kites Festival, Chicago
This event is taking place in early May in Montrose Harbor
The festival is open to everyone, but is clearly geared towards children. Kite flyers from over 100 countries make their way to this famous, but family-oriented kite event to show their skills and teach the secrets of their craft to future generations. Visitors can expect kite making lessons, face painting, crafts, and balloon artists. It’s common to see kites of all sizes, from very small to big and sporty. Kids get kite making kits to make their own kites.
www.chicagokite.com
Great Lakes Kite Festival
Mid May in Grand Haven, Michigan
This event is very large in scope and includes indoor and beach kite flying day and night. Some of the best kite flying individuals and teams come to this festival and bring their giant kites to impress the gathered crowds. Kids especially love illuminated kite night flying, kiteboarding competitions, and the largest kite store in the world with ample shopping opportunities.
www.mackite.com
Wildwoods International Kite Festival
Late May in Wildwoods, New Jersey
This festival is ranking as the largest such kite event in North America and not surprisingly attracts impressive kites and their owners from all over the world. They spend their time competing at night time illuminated kite flying, kite championships, auctions, and various exhibits and kite-making workshops for kids and adults.
www.wildwoodsnj.com
San Francisco Family Day Kite Festival
Early June, San Francisco
Perfect views and winds makes this San Francisco festival one of the most popular kite events in the world. Visitors can enjoy Golden Gate Bridge in the background, partially covered with all kinds of kites making acrobatic tricks. Kids have many chances to make their own kites during the event while taking in flying contests and amazing skills. The best kites win prizes, so public’s support is needed.
www.fdkf.org
Rogallo Kite festival
June, Jockey’s Ridge State Park – Nags Head, North Carolina
This event is an annual celebration since 1982 and beloved by big and small. This two-day festival is named to honor Francis Rogallo, a NASA scientist who invented a flexible wing. This flexible wing technology is widely used for stunt kite building today and can be observed in every kite event. Rogallo festival offers free kite making seminars for kids and adults and power kite lessons. Don’t be surprised to see a 100 foot octopus or a 50 foot fish in the sky during this festival.
www.kittyhawk.com
Summer Kite Festival
Late June in Lincoln City, Oregon
The festival is known for having different themes each year and devoting an entire weekend to kites. Kite lovers and flyers gather on the beach in Lincoln City and enjoy the breeze. Visitors are treated to the most beautiful and the biggest kites in the world. Families love watching competitions and engaging into kite making activities with experts in the field, kids’ kite parade, and group take-off spectacle.
www.oregoncoast.org
Berkeley Kite Festival
Late July, Berkeley, CA
This festival is definitely for professionals and is known for the largest and the longest kites in the world. Visitors are treated to manufacturers ‘demonstrations, competitions, Japanese kite battles, and team kite ballets. There are kite making and flying classes available during the event, in addition to food, music, arts, and crafts.
www.berkeleykites.com
Washington State International Kite Festival
End of August, Long Beach Peninsula, Washington
The festival is held every summer here because of nearby World Kite Museum, which curates the event. It lasts an entire week and features many world-famous kite flyers will tons of family fun. There are kids’ camps, top kids’ kite award, kite-making workshops, beach and indoor kite flying, complete with fireworks. All kite owners are invited to participate in this fun on the beach.
If you get tired of festival activities, you can visit the Kite Museum and enjoy over 1,500 kites from 26 countries and make your own masterpiece.
Lincoln City Fall Kite Festival, Oregon
Beginning of October
This festival is the second in Lincoln City simply because the winds are too good to pass on. Kids love running along the beach with their kites after making them with the help of professional flyers, not to mention all the giant kites flying all weekend long everywhere. The location itself lends all kinds of other fun – paddle boarding, surfing, kayaking, rock hunting, shopping, dining out, and enjoying the beautiful fall weather in the nearby mountains for visitors big and small.