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 15-21. And - believe me, this one's gonna be a dandy! But if you're planning on going, but haven't made 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 full, and some have been reserved for nearly a year, now! Seriously, folks, if you’re going and don’t have accommodations, make some 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. Here’s the list of WSIKF “official” events: And if you need to look at the WSIKF website, click here.
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: Robert Valkenburgh from Holland offers "Aerial and Aeolian Displays" this year. Yes, he's into making "music" with kites and beach sculpture... See the Kitelife interview with Robert here. - and - Edodako Hozonkai, the Edo-kite Preservation Society of Japan. Four of the members will be present to make, display, and fly Edo kites during WSIKF this year. 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 fest 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. Will he try for another World Record this year? This is where he usually makes his attempts!
Visit the World Kite Museum in their new location in downtown 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. And, as is common at WSIKF, there’s always something going on to surprise and delight you, sometimes on the schedule, but sometimes not, too. The only way to really see it – to “wallow” in it all – is to BE THERE!!! Well – OKAY already... BRING YOUR ENTHUSIASM, and your energy! You’ll need it! WSIKF’s a heck of a show, folks! See you on the beach, Dave "Geezer" Shattuck
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