Day Trip to Kite Festivals

It is said that “March winds and April showers bring May flowers.” This month, March winds also bring to mind thoughts of breezy days on the beach or in the park, taking in the simple joys of flying a kite and watching its colors dance through the sky. Now multiply that image and think of a panorama of hundreds of kites sailing towards the clouds all at once, and you will have an idea of what a day trip to a kite festival is like.

Ordinarily, when someone dismissively tells you to “go fly a kite,” it’s not meant in a good way. But for many people, kite flying is fun and relaxing, brings back memories of childhood, tests creativity and skills, and provides an easy and inexpensive activity that can be enjoyed by adults and children of all ages. For others, it’s much more, and kite flying has come a long way since the days when the hapless Charlie Brown struggled to keep his kite from tangling in the trees! The construction and design of kites themselves can range from simple to elaborate and may often be considered airborne works of art. Kite flying has become a hugely popular sport, with many organizations established for amateurs, professionals, and fans who take the love of kites to new heights.

Residents in our area are fortunate to have a wide range of beautiful beaches and picturesque parks that provide the open space necessary for a good kite-flying outing. But for those who want to kick it up a notch and see some amazing aerial demonstrations with crowds of kites, there are several wonderful kite festivals planned in the upcoming months.

Kites at the Pier

Kicking off the 2019 kite festival season, Pier Village in Long Branch, NJ will host their annual Kites at the Pier weekend, to be held on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. This popular, family-friendly event brings in kite flyers from all along the eastern seaboard that come to showcase their incredible creations. One of the special highlights is the Running of the Bols, an exciting – and exhausting – competition where groups of parents and kids latch onto an oversized parachute/kite and run into the wind towards a finish line, all the while dragging the billowing tether behind them. There will also be both aerial and ground displays of all kinds of kites and wind feathers that are sure to delight the crowds of spectators up and down the beach and the boardwalk.

For kids who want a different type of fun, there will be inflatable bounce houses and rides. And for adults who might like to take a break from craning their necks upward to view the kites, there will be festival craft vendors displaying their wares, plus all the quality retail shops and sumptuous eateries throughout Pier Village. For more information, go to https://piervillage.com/events/kites-at-the-pier-2 or look for Kites at the Pier on Facebook.

Belmar Kite Festival

There will be “an air and a spare” in Belmar, NJ this year, with two different dates scheduled for the Belmar Kite Festival. The festivities will be held over Belmar Beach at Third Avenue on Sunday, May 5 and again on Sunday, September 29 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Now in its sixth year, the festival brings out throngs of families and friends who spend the day ooh-ing and aah-ing at the tapestry of colors soaring above the beach, showing off their skills at reining in kites of their own, or perusing the selection of beautiful new kites that are available for purchase. Find out more at http://bit.ly/BelmarKiteFestival2019 or go to Belmar Business Partnership Annual Belmar Kite Festival on Facebook.

LBI Fly International Kite Festival

Looking further ahead at the calendar, the Fifth Annual LBI Fly International Kite Festival will be held for three days over Columbus Day weekend in October. It takes place from Friday, October 11 through Sunday, October 13 over the shores of Long Beach Island, with the main kite field located in Ship Bottom, NJ. About 100 kite fliers from throughout the United States, Tanzania, Germany, Columbia, and Canada are expected to attend – many of them as invited guests from highly ranked international kite festivals all around the world, where awards are presented for art design quality, craftsmanship, and flying ability. An astounding assortment of artist design kites, giant inflatable kites, and sporting kites in every shape and size will be flown, as well as being displayed at local galleries before the festival.

One of the highlights for this event will be teams, pairs, and individual sport kite fliers who perform intricately choreographed musical routines with their kites. There is also an indoor show and competition, with celebrity kite fliers who are skilled, incredibly, at flying them with no wind. Other special attractions will include a night fly, with specially designed kites lighting up the dark sky in twinkling formations, plus kite candy drops for kids and kite-making classes. See the full schedule of activities and other details at https://lbifly.com or go to LBI FLY International Kite Festival on Facebook.