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Washington State International Kite Festival

Parent Category: Pacific County
in Events and festivals
Created: 01 October 2015
Address:

World Kite Museum - Home of the Washington State International Kite Festival

303 Sid Snyder Drive, Long Beach, WA 98631
Phone: 360-642-4020
Dates: Third full week of August, annually

Pictures below will take you on a virtual tour to the spectacular Washington State International Kite Festival. Enjoy the stunning kite flying!

Photo taken at the Washington State International Kite Festival, Long Beach, WA

General Information:

On the third full week of August you may become a spectator and a participant of one of the most prominent and enchanting events, taking place in Washington State. And this event is Annual Washington State International Kite Festival. This fantastic extravaganza, going on within the whole week (from Monday till Sunday), is hosted by the Long Beach Peninsula. The place for kite flying is actually a spacious sandy beach, located close to downtown Long Beach. 

The best way to get acquainted with the world of kites and have a great time is to visit this festival, always colorful and bringing ease and lightness of childhood. Within this week millions of amazing flying creatures are coming to life in the sky - bright sea monsters and dragons, fantastic characters and wildlife animals, as well as numerous unbelievable flying constructions, created by famous kite designers from different parts of the world.

 Photo taken at the Washington State International Kite Festival, Long Beach, WA

Everything has begun as a small event in 1981, in which only nine participants were engaged and also only one kite team. At that year, by the way, the Guinness record was achieved for the longest time (180 hours) of the kite being kept in the air. This record hasn’t been beaten until now.

Already in two years this festival became interesting for foreign kite flyers from Japan. And throughout several years it became one of the most famous and largest kite festivals in the whole North America, visited by thousands and thousands of spectators from all over the world, who come here, to Long Beach, with one mutual passion – kite flying.

Here, at this festival, the visitors can see kites of different shapes and colors, starting from simple diamonds and up to kite trains, arches, multi-line stacks. Each day of the festival brings something new and interesting. One day of the festival is designated for flying various fantastic tubes, which are the same remarkable as kites. There are days, designated for kite battles, sport kite events, flying multiple kites of a designated type at the same time. And of course unforgettable lighted kites night fly!

 Photo taken at the Washington State International Kite Festival, Long Beach, WA

Some of the demonstration fields are roped off for safety reasons. Larger kites or maneuverable kite performances are kept in these marked areas. The administration asks the flyers to keep their kites inside these marked areas, and spectators to stay outside except for the cases when they are escorted by a registered kite flyer. There is a perfect viewing platform for the spectators – half a mile boardwalk, adjacent to the beach. 

Photo taken at the Washington State International Kite Festival, Long Beach, WA 

Visitors of the festival have an opportunity not just to spend time in the fresh air enjoying the show, but also to participate themselves in the festival. In a designated area in covered tents, equipped with workstations, a special instructor helps to teach the kids and adults how to make their own kites. The necessary materials and tools are available on the spot. After that, the instructor conducts a master class on launching the kites, made by the visitors. Probably this is one of the most favorite parts of the festival not only for kids, but for most of adults. 

By the way, the kite festival is not just the kites in the sky, but also the wind gardens on the ground. Fluttering ribbons, colorful flags, constructions, driven by wind energy - that's what the wind gardens look like.

Photo taken at the Washington State International Kite Festival, Long Beach, WA 

There are also food booths with numerous lunch tables, and vendor booths offering a huge amount of souvenirs. They are located along the road next to the parking lot. Those, who are in love with kites, may also visit the World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame. The World Kite Museum can be found at Sid Snyder Drive, opposite the parking lot.

The Festival is free for the spectators; the fee is paid only for competitions.

If you come to Long Beach for the whole week of the festival, we recommend booking the lodging beforehand, as the hotels in the area are usually get filled up very quickly for the time of the Festival.

Photo taken at the Washington State International Kite Festival, Long Beach, WA 

Scattered across the sky kaleidoscope of kites of all shapes and sizes is able to draw you away to a real fairy tale, where the children will be able to see with their own eyes and touch the real magic, and adults will become children again. It is enough just to raise your head to see that fish can not only swim, but can also fly easily, and dragons still exist. On such an occasion, even the prehistoric monsters will come to life, who, although the monsters, but are very good-natured! Therefore, take your kids and come to the Annual Washington State International Kite Festival.

For detailed information on the events and opening hours you may visit the Washington State International Kite Festival website:
http://kitefestival.com/events/wa-state-intl-kite-festival/

Washington state Kite Festival 4K Video Relaxation

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://beautifulwashington.com/pacific-county/events-festivals/452-washington-state-kite-festival.html#sigProId394c342225

 

These pictures were taken in August, 2015

In order to get directions click on the map below:

 

 

Photo: Roman Khomlyak

Photo Editing: Juliana Voitsikhovska

Information: Svetlana Baranova

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