Yeah, it's coming up awfully soon, now... the greatest, grandest, Kite Festival on the North American continent! WSIKF - the Washington State International Kite Festival! It runs the WHOLE WEEK of August 21st through 27th, 2006. And - believe me - this one's gonna be a dandy!
But - if you're planning on going, but you haven't got any reservations yet - I'd just drop everything right now and click this link for "The Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau." Most of places are already booked, and some have been reserved for nearly a year, now! Seriously, folks – if you’re going and don’t have accommodations – DO IT NOW!!!
 Yeah – anyway, it’s THAT kind of festival... A week-long "Kite Gala!!!" In up to your eye-balls isn’t even close – this is a “How far and fast can you swim?” kind of event! A whole huge week of kiteflying, kite paraphernalia, kite-folks, and... you guessed it – KITES!!! And, short of some European or Asian events, this is the biggest and the “bestest” Kite Festival you’re gonna find anywhere!
Okay – so you wanna know what’s Happening? Here’s “the list” shamelessly copied right off their website. And in case you get lost in there, just do a Google Search for “Kite festival” and it’ll be there... No lie – That’s IT!
Their website - http://www.kitefestival.com
Anyhow – there’s the list of WSIKF “official” events:
- MONDAY - Kite Trains, Arches and Multi-line stacks open the week. A workshop for adults and children with special needs.
- TUESDAY - Pun Fun, Club Camps, Rok battles! Circoflex Round-up! Fun for everyone!
- WEDNESDAY - Let's honor our flag! Also, events for children of all ages! 0-14 in the morning and over 50 in the afternoon.
- THURSDAY – Handcrafted Kite Day - A popular event for all! A variety of categories and three levels of competition.
- FRIDAY - Demos, Hot Tricks, Junior Dual Line Competition and mass ascensions fill the day. The night skies lighted with the Night Fly and Fireworks.
- SATURDAY - Fighter Kites, Rokkakus and the Cody Kite Fly - plus Mass Ascensions, the Pin Challenge and Showtime. At night, the World Kite Museum Auction/Banquet/Awards and Fireworks on the beach.
- SUNDAY - Everyone come out and fly a kite!
And BACK AGAIN this year by POPULAR DEMAND - a full-blown AKA sanctioned, NWSKL sponsored SPORT KITE COMPETITION from Friday to Sunday (the 25th through the 27th).
In addition, they have a couple of “invited guests” – sponsored folks who fly in to add to your delight in the whole affair. This year, WSIKF has invited John Pollock and Phil Scarfe.
 Mr. Pollock is an expert kitemaker, specializing in the “coloring” of Nylon fabric in his flat and bowed kites. During 2004, John was awarded the AKA Grand National Championship in kite building at the American Kitefliers Convention, and he displayed an exhibition of his kites at last year’s convention.
Phil Scarfe is an Englishman who enjoys and teaches the construction and flying of fine Parafoil kites. He taught Delta parafoil construction at the Fort Warden kitebuilder’s conference in 2004.
Okay – so you’ve kinda got the picture – but maybe not, too! Let me give you a few other examples that aren’t exactly spelled out above...
- You’ll likely see more captive “inflatable” kites than you’ve ever seen in one spot before (Berkley’s annual insanity excepted). And more Banner displays. And more of nearly anything else you can think of – including vendors pavilions along the entrance.
- Ray Bethell is likely to show up again – and that’s worth attending WSIKF all by itself! What an incredible show “The Grand Old Man Of Kiting” puts on... flying three kites at once. He’s been known to use WSIKF as a “Records” location too – having flown an amazing 33 kites at once at a prior WSIKF!
- Visit the World Kite Museum in their new location on Sid Snyder Drive in Long Beach. The ONLY kite museum in North America has a new home. Believe me, it’s well worth your time and energy – and a very nice respite from the whole big affair out on the beach, too.
- And the NAFKA folks (North American Fighter Kite Association) will hold their Fighter Touch-Line competition “World Cup” at WSIKF, just as they do every year. The event runs nearly the whole week – with the very best from around the world competing.
- To reiterate, Friday through Sunday will see the resurgence of a full-blown AKA sanctioned kite competition at WSIKF again. Come on out and watch some of the best pilots on the continent display their skills and talent!
- And – as is “common” at WSIKF – there’s always something going on to surprise and delight you. Last year it was Robert Valkenburg and his amazing wind music and sculptures. Simply awesome... Wonder what it’ll be THIS year? Well, if ya wanna know – you just gotta show!
In short, there’s ALWAYS something to surprise and delight you – sometimes on the schedule, but sometimes not, too. The only way to see it all – to “wallow” in it all – is to BE THERE!!!
As if an entire week of flying isn't enough, Long Beach is also home to North America's only World Kite Museum, newly located into a larger and more modern facility... For more info on the WKM, click their logo below.
Well – OKAY already... What’re the rest of the details?
Location: Long Beach, Washington. Roughly a half MILE of beach set aside for this one. Enter through the Bolstad Entrance (downtown at the stop-light) North of Bolstad is set aside for the “big toys” – the inflatables, large cellular and flat kites, things of that sort. South of Bolstad are the competition fields, registration tent, announcing booth, etc. Sit on the dunes if you just want to “watch the show.” The Bolstad approach itself is “vendor row” if you’ve just GOTTA get a bite, a beer, or a souvenir. And free-flying (with your own kites) is down near the water – where the weather and the wind are PERFECT!
Times: Set-up starts early every day, so the real “show” starts sometime after 9:00 AM and ends near dusk – unless there’s a Night Fly going, of course. You’re usually “good” if you hit the lot before 10:00 AM, however, and you won’t miss too much. Parking gets dicey on Friday and Saturday, though...
Parking: Free parking behind the dunes if you get there before they run out of spaces. The easiest way to get there is to go to the 10th Street SW entrance, go West (toward the ocean) for two blocks, turn right on Ocean Beach Blvd, and go North to about 3rd street. ON the left (toward the ocean again) is a dirt road leading into a huge parking lot. It’s a short walk to the beach from there. (NO OVERNIGHT PARKING, though.)
Where to Stay: While there are a great many wonderful places to stay in Long Beach and the surrounding area, our favorite by far is the Super 8 in Long Beach, owned by long time WSIKF supporters Jane & Roger Holman... It's the most centrally located, pristine, and best of all, they offer free high speed internet access!
Where to Eat: Well – I’ve places I recommend, and just places, I’ve eaten... We tend to eat a hearty breakfast on the way in, and I can recommend both Laurie’s in Seaview (about a mile and a half south of the 10th Street SW entrance) as a place that simply CAN’T be beat, and Debi’s within walking distance in downtown Long Beach. And there’s always “The Bakery” right in Long Beach for a quick snack, a latte, or a sit-down sandwich. I’ve had some successes, and some just so-so experiences with my dinner, but I’m usually so darned tired by then that I can’t think of where I’d recommend. Let me put it this way, though... there’re plenty of places to get a good meal in Long Beach and surrounds – find one you like and stick with it!
By the way – we usually park in the free lot, and then just walk the 2-3 blocks distance into town to eat. No sense giving up your parking spot!
Groceries: Sid’s is the place. A mile or so south in Seaview on Pacific Way. It’s the only Grocery store there.
KITES: If you didn’t bring your own, there’re four stores to choose from within walking distance of WSIKF – but they tend to get a bit “busy” during the festival! There’s “Long Beach Kites”, “Ocean Kites”, “Above It all Kites” and “Stormin’ Norman’s Kites and Clothing.” Take your pick... Yeah – they all carry parts and supplies, too! All right downtown...
How to Dress: Just like you would for any festival in your own locality – except you should probably “layer” up, so you can “layer down” when it gets warm. Those who spend all day on the beach kinda go up and down through 2 or 3 Layers, depending on the weather. Raingear doesn’t hurt either, since it’s good for wind protection too if it really blows.
What to Bring: Kites (sorta goes without saying...) Sunscreen for sure, and Sun-glasses. Plenty of fluids to drink. Food, if you want to eat on the beach. Lawn Chairs are a decided plus. Pain-Relievers, if you tend to over-exert (darn easy to do in that soft sand). COMFORTABLE walking or “beach” shoes.
Definitely bring a good hat. Also, brings “spares” of anything you can’t live without for a while – this is an all-day affair, folks!
And – whatever you do – DON’T FORGET YOUR CAMERA!!! (Those people who didn’t come along won’t believe you without some sort of documentation!)
Anything else to do if you get bored: Yeah, well – wander into town and ask around... Like any resort community, there’s a myriad of “other” things to do. Yeah, the shop-owners will be glad to help point ‘em out.
Anything I’ve forgotten? Well, I’m sure there’re about a gazillion things...
Oh, yeah... BRING YOUR ENTHUSIASM, and your energy! You’ll need it! It’s a heck of a show, folks!
See you there,
Dave "Geezer" Shattuck
As the Assistant Editor, Dave "Geezer" Shattuck is a driving force here at Kitelife and a regular at many NW events as well as other locations throughout the year. |
