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Top 5 tips for next year’s kite fest

BERKELEY, Calif. — César E. Chávez Park in the Berkeley Marina hosted its 34th annual Kite Festival this past weekend. The festival has been a hit with both residents and travelers ever since 1985, and continues to grow and improve each year.

People from all walks of life gathered together in appreciating and enjoying the craftsmanship, kite flying, culture, shopping and diverse food options that are associated with the festival.

Here are five things you can’t miss:

• Food

Authentic and freshly prepared barbecue, noodles and funnel cake are always amazing options if you’re feeling hungry while walking around the festival. Photo by Taylor Battie.

No matter where you look while visiting the Kite Festival, there will be lines of food trucks in your sights. Whether you’re in the mood for something sweet or savory, you can choose from food that varies from fruit topped with lime tamarind to hot dogs or barbecue chicken, and everything in between. Be sure to bring cash because most trucks cannot accept cards. 

• Street Vendors

The claimed World’s Smallest Kite is an amazing souvenir for those that aren’t able to commit to bringing a full sized kite home. It may be tiny, but the excitement it brings is still larger than life. Photo by Taylor Battie.

Another fun activity for visitors of all ages is browsing the various vendor stalls present throughout the festival. These friendly owners sell a variety of items, including sunglasses, legos, stuffed animals and, of course, kites.  Kites of all shapes and sizes can be purchased from almost every vendor at the venue. Even the acclaimed “smallest kite in the world” can be found on the sides of the walkways.

• Kids Activities

From hamster balls to bungee trampolines, there are plenty of activities to keep younger visitors of the festival occupied. Photo by Taylor Battie.

This festival is completely family-friendly as there are many activities for children.  These include zip-lining, arts and crafts, bungee trampolining and the infamous “candy drop.” You can also visit the petting zoo for a pony ride or the face painting station for some extra fun.

• Street Performers

There’s never a dull moment at the festival, so you don’t have to look far to find a performance to watch. Street performers line the walkways showcasing their various talents. These performances include Japanese dancing, synchronized kite-flying and the work of a not-so PG-13 magician. No matter what you watch, it is worth a moment of your time. 

• Live Music

This year’s festival included the talents of a group of Taiko Drummers from Hamamatsu, Japan, who captivated the audience with their traditional sound. They were accompanied by Japanese dancers whose synchronized movements and chanting allowed the audience to become fully immersed in the cultural experience. Visitors can expect more live music and multicultural experiences at future festivals.

 • Obviously, the kites

The Giant Creature Kite Expo draws in passionate kite makers and flyers from far and wide to show off their humongous and colorful kites. Photo by Madeleine Grant.

We said there were only five things, but it wouldn’t be the Kite Festival without the kites. There are many displays of fine craftsmanship all throughout the festival, as many people create their own kites. It’s easy to see the passion and excitement that radiates throughout the park as kites of all shapes and sizes fly through the air. For newcomers, there are free kite- making and kite-flying lessons available.

Whether flying a kite with your family and friends, or spectating a performance or Rokkaku battle, there are endless ways to appreciate and have fun with kites at this festival.

Each kite is like a work of art and the festival presents visitors with the opportunity to have an experience like no other.

Check out more photos on Instagram.

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Kite festival again draws thousands

BERKELEY, Calif. — For more than 30 years, the Berkeley Kite Festival has drawn thousands of locals and tourists alike. Thousands of people and hundreds of kites fill the skies for the annual event at the Berkeley Marina.

The festival’s entrance is at Cesar Chavez Park, on the northside of the Berkeley Marina. The 2019 event featured food booths, a petting zoo, zip line and dance performances in addition to kite flying. (Photo by Lynne Perri)

This year was no exception. Cesar Chavez Park was flooded with people who came not only to fly kites but also to make them. Traditional Asian music was performed in the afternoon by Taiko drummers. Both ethnic and traditional American food trucks lent the festival an international flair.

The Taiko drummers played for the people at the Kite Festival, creating a joyful environment, in which people gathered around and joined them in their cultural dances. (Photo by Stephanie Schreiber/Teen Observer)

Chandler Isaac, a first-timer, described the festival as “surprising.” Families from all over the country have made this a tradition to relish with loved ones, Sabine Roehl said, adding that “I plan on bringing my family and friends here again until my kids decide they don’t want to come back.”  

The atmosphere was welcoming and open, Julian Carvahal said. “It felt like a tight community” with a relaxed feel to it, he said.

Watch the video.

Learn more about the Kite Festival here:

http://www.highlinekites.com/pages/berkeley-kite-fest.html

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Thousands spend hours at Berkeley’s kite festival

July 30, 2019

Kids and people of all different ages in the Kite Festival Day. (Photo by Chelsea Balingasa / Teen Observer)

     BERKELEY, Calif. — One park, dozens of tent stores, hundreds of kites and tens of thousands. This city’s annual kite festival is built from all of those elements — and more.

“There are a lot of people; the weather is good. So I will probably recommend it,” Sindhuri Kampli, a mother who came with her family to the festival from Fremont, said. She spotted the event on Facebook and said her daughter, Jasmine, 7, had been a fan of kites for a long time.

Kampli said she loved this opportunity and decided to take her family out to relax and see all the beautiful kites — many of them oversized and others dancing in a synchronized fashion to music.

     Walker Brown, a photographer from Richmond, said he makes the drive every year. “I can often get good photos here, both of objects and people,” he said. 

      All the tent stands aren’t just for food, though. Some businesses were selling hand-sewn fabric. 

And others were encouraging people to register to vote.

     What makes the festival different from kite-flying in the park? There are multiple shapes and patterns, including hearts, circles, ovals, lines — and many more. Some groups were competing to see who could fly kites as seamlessly as possible.

(Link to video to check out a sample of the kite performance: https://youtu.be/bWUToOIqgUo)

One team set their synchronized performance to a series of different musical tracks, with a leader calling out commands of when to rise and land and move. (Photo by Chelsea Balingasa / Teen Observer)
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A kite glides in Berkeley

Kites of all colors, shapes, and sizes, soar through the summer sky. Photo by Allie Anderson.

BERKELEY, Calif. — The last weekend of July brings a world of color down by the  Berkeley Marina, where children, families and friends have been going on for more than 30 years to the Berkeley Kite Festival.

The day begins at 10 a.m. with a few kites, and kite enthusiasts  finishing setting up. Within a couple of hours, the entire hill is covered with kite fliers and kite watchers. There are small kites, big kites and people of all ages enjoying the view.

“It really turns out here in Berkeley, like by noon everyone will have held a kit. Anyone can do it from 5 years old to over 80 years old,” John Barresi said, while continuing to fly and do tricks with his own kite.

He has been participating in the sport for more than 25 years, simply because “it’s relaxing.” He noted that when one is tense, the kite will be tense, too, but if the controller on the ground is relaxed, the kite flows more freely, which makes for a better time.

There are also kite ballets and competitions at the event for more organized entertainment. The festival brought thousands to Cesar E Chavez Park over two days. Remember to grab a kite and a sweater before you go next year.