Blossom Kite Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smithsonian Kite Festival / Blossom Kite Festival |
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Image of kites in display
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| Genre | kites |
| Location(s) | Washington, D.C. |
| Years active | 1967–2019, 2022– |
| Website | http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org |
The Blossom Kite Festival is a super fun yearly event where people fly all kinds of kites! It used to be called the Smithsonian Kite Festival. This festival usually happens in late March in Washington, D.C.. It takes place on the National Mall, which is a big, open park area in the city. The festival is part of the larger National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Since 2020, the kite festival was paused for a few years. This was because of health concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic. But it has since returned, bringing colorful kites back to the sky!
Contents
How the Festival Started
The kite festival began in 1967. It was started by a man named Paul E. Garber. He was an "aviation pioneer," meaning he was one of the first people to explore flying. Paul Garber was also the very first "curator" (a person who takes care of a museum's collections) at the National Air and Space Museum.
For many years, the Smithsonian Institution helped organize the festival. The Smithsonian is a famous group of museums and research centers. In 2011, the group that runs the National Cherry Blossom Festival took over. They then changed the name to the "Blossom Kite Festival."
Exciting Moments from Past Festivals
The First Kite Carnival
The very first kite festival happened on March 25, 1967. It was called the Smithsonian Kite Carnival back then. People could enter contests with kites they made themselves or ones they bought. There were also workshops where Paul Garber taught people how to make kites. He even showed off kites he and his wife had made!
A Law About Kites
For a short time, there was an old law from 1892 that stopped people from flying kites in Washington, D.C. In 1970, the festival couldn't get a permit to fly kites on the National Mall. Some people even got arrested for protesting the law by flying kites! Because of this, the festival had to move to Fort Washington Park in Maryland that year. Luckily, the law was changed, and the kite festival could come back to the National Mall.
Celebrating Chinese Kites
In 2008, the festival celebrated the art and history of Chinese kites. The organizers shared that the Chinese invented kites over 2,000 years ago! Kites were first used in China for things like measuring distances in battles. They also carried messages. Over time, kites became a beautiful part of art and culture around the world.
Going Green with Kites
The 2009 festival had a special theme: "Going Green." People were asked to make kites using materials that were good for the environment. This included things like bamboo, paper, and cloth. The organizers even gave away 1,000 free kites to children!
Kite-Making Competitions
The 2010 festival was all about "CRAFTed for Flight." It had exciting events like the Rokkaku Battle. This is where people fly special six-sided kites and try to cut each other's lines! There was also a competition for handmade kites. Judges, including kite experts and museum staff, picked the winners. People of all ages and skill levels could enter, from young kids to master kite makers.
Recent Festivals
The first Blossom Kite Festival under its new name happened on April 10, 2011. It was originally planned for an earlier date but was moved because of bad weather.
Many festivals have taken place on the Washington Monument grounds since then. In 2014, the festival was postponed and then cancelled due to heavy rain. Organizers also reminded everyone in 2016 that drones (small flying robots) were not allowed at the event.
The festival continued to be a popular event each year until 2019. After that, it was paused for a few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Images for kids
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Smithsonian Kite Festival, March 27, 2010
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Smithsonian Kite Festival, March 27, 2010
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Smithsonian Kite Festival, March 27, 2010
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Blossom Kite Festival, March 31, 2012
