National Kite Flying Day: Five Big Kite Festivals In The World

The National Kite Flying Day is observed in the U.S. every year on February 8, to honor the art and sport of kite flying. This day also reminds us to find our freedom and enjoy precious moments of relaxation and fun.

Though now a favorite pastime of people across the globe, it is said that kites originated in China, back in 470 BC. However, modern-day kites have come a long way, evolving from bamboo and strings to nylon and plastic sheets.

So, this National Kite Flying Day, learn about some world-famous kite festivals that see the participation of thousands. While kite festivals are held to celebrate a rich harvest in some countries, many others hold such fairs to honor the sport.

1) Ahmedabad, India

This Indian city bursts into fun and color every year in January as it celebrates the International Kite Festival. The fiesta marks the country's harvest festival or the Makar Sankranti, and kite flying is considered a salutation to the sun. Families across the Northern part of India throng the rooftops and open grounds on this day to fly kites. The best place to enjoy the festival is the riverfront of the Sabarmati where people lie down to see the sky filled with thousands of colors from the flying kites.

2) Weifang, China

This annual festival is usually held from April 20 to 25 at Weifang, a city in the Shandong province of China. Considered the birthplace of kites, Weifang claims 70 percent of the world's kite exports. Over a thousand hundred people take part in the festival every year. During the festival days, the skies of Weifang are dotted with not only traditional kite patterns like butterflies, triangles, and centipedes but also modern spaceships and satellites.

3) Washington DC, USA

The U.S. has a humungous event to celebrate kite flying every year from March to early April. Held as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrations, the event sees at least 30,000 and 40,000 taking part in it. The festival also commemorates the friendship between the U.S. and Japan wherein the Tokyo Mayor gifted Japanese cherry trees to the city. This year, the festival is held on March 26.

4) Bali, Indonesia

The two-day International Kite Festival is generally held in Bali in July. The festival originally started as a seasonal festival, giving thanks to the heavens and the gods for abundant crops and harvests. But, now it has evolved into a competition and often sees several side events. Traditional giant kites are made and flown competitively by teams from the villages of Denpasar these days.

5) Gold Coast, Australia

Every November, Australia holds the Kirra Kite Festival near Gold Coast. Though not as humungous as the other festivals, the charm of Kirra is the beautiful beaches of the Gold Coast. Apart from honoring the kite culture, the festival also celebrates multicultural arts, food, and street performances.