Every year during the third full week of August, excited kite enthusiasts from around the globe meet in Long Beach, Washington to share their love of kites. The Japanese have a term, “Tako kichi,” which describes a person that is crazy about kites, and there were thousands of tako kichi on the peninsula for this year’s beloved event. The smiles on all their faces told me that just like the massive array of kites dancing in the breeze, they too were feeling high and colorful at the International Kite Festival.
Incredible Kites
Kites of all shapes, sizes, and colors
I saw kites of every imaginable shape, size, and color. Giant rounds ones swirled in a circular motion, huge dragons flew high in the sky looking for their next victim, and a squid, the size of a pickup truck, let its tentacles flow in the fresh summer breeze. I watched super-heroes and cartoon characters flying freely. One particularly spectacular kite was well over 50 feet long and took several people to get assembled and into the air. For the first time in my life, I understood the fascination and enthusiasm surrounding the sport of kite flying.
Fun Activities
Vendors and craftsmen at the Kite Festival
By far the main draw to the festival is all of the beautiful kites that fill the sky with extraordinary colors and mesmerizing movement. Families and friends stretch out on blankets in the sand and make a day of it, picnicking on the beach and playing in the gentle surf. However, there are lots of other great activities, like the indoor kite flying competition where the aerobatics are carefully choreographed to music. There is also a Rokkaku Battle, where the objective is for teams to knock or cut other kites out of the sky using your team’s kites. Amongst all the excitements are also tons of fun workshops, on everything from photography to hand making your own kite. The grand finale of the festival includes an incredible fireworks display
Cool Vendors
What is a festival without all of the support and entertainment provided by the carefully selected vendors? Stroll through all the stalls and enjoy smoothies, ice cream, a beer garden, burritos, fascinating imports, jewelry, and other intriguing handicrafts. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to explore all of the splendid options.
Great People
There is something special about the people on the Long Beach Peninsula. I may be a little biased because I’m one of them now, but the people on the peninsula are more relaxed than the majority. We call it “Peninsula Time.” We do things at our own pace, allowing ourselves to be captivated by the moment. We take time to greet our neighbors, pet their dogs, and chat with their kids. As you walk around the kite festival, you’ll see all kinds of great people enjoying themselves. This year there was even a wedding at the kite festival! Congratulations to the newlyweds that met at the kite festival last year!
One of my favorite kites at the festival
I highly recommend pulling out your 2019 calendar and reserving some time to check out the kite festival next year. You’ll love it so much that you’ll probably make it an annual tradition, just like the hundreds of families that have been enjoying it for generations. You too will feel high and colorful at the International Kite Festival.