The Kite Festival is back for 2015

The Kite Festival is back for 2015 on a new site on the Downs, over the weekend of 22 & 23 August.

Visitors to the event can enjoy chilling out and watching the experts performing in the arenas, or bring along their own kite to fly nearby.

Families will particularly enjoy the large special-shaped animals and 3D creatures which can be up to 30m in length, with awesome giant flying tigers, bears, dogs, manta rays and octopi which will feature in themed arena displays throughout the weekend. Also jostling for space in the sky will be large voluptuous mermaids and Neptune and cute angels and cherubs.  Also look out for trains of comic creations flown one above the other, including a school bus, the Love Bug and motorbike & side car as well as a series of animal faces and even a pair of flying trainers. 

Children can also join in the fun by making their own simple kites in free kite-making workshops as well as wildlife inspired mask making with the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Trust. Also on hand will be traditional children’s entertainment with large bouncy castles, giant slides, a flight simulator, zorbing, bungy trampolines and face painting.

Centre stage will be giant colourful rings which rotate in the sky which will feature in the special charity slot supporting the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity whose life saving helicopter will be visiting both days.

Those with a creative flair will be drawn to some of the beautiful artistic kites on show and appreciate the skill and craftsmanship involved in creating these intricate designs. Marvel at vividly coloured birds, bugs, bees and butterflies. There will be dramatic portraits using kites as an aerial canvas which come to life in the air. There will be examples of appliqué which involves stitching a myriad of different coloured fabric pieces together to create a patchwork quilt which creates a stained glass effect in the sky.

For action packed entertainment look out for team sport kite synchronised flying routines with intricate moves choreographed and flown to music. Or cheer for your favourite team in mock aerial combat with large Japanese fighting kites vying to be the last one in the sky. Extreme sports fans will appreciate the awesome power of the traction kites – with kite surf wings and the thrills and spills of kite-propelled buggies and land boards.

To complement these flying displays there will also be plenty of interest closer to the ground, with eye catching installations to suit even the lightest winds. Visitors will also be able to walk through a forests of flowing banners and listen to a wind orchestra with instruments such as Aeolian harps, pipes and hummers played by the wind. 

Also on site there will be a range of specialist kite stalls, a licenced bar and an appetising array of festive food and drink.

The Festival programme runs on from 11am to 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Free admission. Parking available on site – for event details and to book early bird parking visit the website.