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Texas Kite Festivals in 2023!
Posted by Whole Earth | 02.19.2023
Let's go fly a kite!
We're lucky here in Austin that there are many breezy days perfect for flying a kite. Several Whole Earthlings at our office would keep kites close at hand, and when the winds were right, they were off to a neighboring park for a refreshing break flying kites. They created our handy A Kite Flyer's Field Guide for Judging Wind Speed. And if you live near one of our brick-and-mortar stores, you'll find a fun assortment of kites for your own flying pleasure. Alas, most of the kites cannot be shipped and are for in-store pickup only.
If you love flying or watching kites spangling the sky, here are a few of our favorite Texas kite festivals you might want to consider visiting in the next month or so, including one in our own backyard.
Zilker Kite Festival
Zilker Kite Festival is the longest-running kite festival in the country, now in its 95th year. It began in 1929 as an opportunity to "foster creativity in children." And today you can see all sorts of kites flying: homemade kites, store-bought kites, kites made by artists, and giant kites, all sharing the sky over the field where later in the year, thousands will gather for the Austin City Limits Music Festival. For several years, weather for the Kite Festival did not cooperate, leading to cancellations. So this year, the Festival is Saturday, April 1st and will run from 10am to 5pm. It's a free family-friendly event that welcomes pets and hosts MossFest, a children's musical concert alongside traditional kite flying contests, a Kids Club with bounce houses, face painting, and rock wall climbing, a Pet Zone with a variety of dog-friendly activities, including a three-ring jump and tunnel run, festival food and more!
Fest of Tails
Coming up fast is San Antonio's 16th Fest Of Tails, an ingenious event that combines kites and dogs! This free event takes place on Saturday, March 11th at McAllister Park from 10am to 4pm. You'll find kite demonstrations and family kite flying as well as a Pooch Parade and Costume Contest. The Costume Contest categories include Best Dressed Dog, Most Resembles Owner, and Best In Show. The Pooch Parade begins at 12:30pm. There will also be Stationary Roller Races with San Antonio Gold Sprints. Bring a blanket or lawn chair to watch the kites aloft and meet some new furry friends. There will be sweet treats, festival fare, live music, and more!
Hermann Park Kite Festival
Houston also has a kite festival - the Hermann Park Kite Festival. Back in 2014, Hermann Park celebrated its centennial with a host of activities including its first kite festival. It was so popular that it has become an annual event. This year's festival is on Sunday, March 26th from 10am to 3pm. Located on Miller Hill and around Jones Reflection Pool in the park, it's a free family fun event. There will be plenty of opportunities to fly your own kite along with other enthusiasts. You'll also find interactive games and activities, live music, face painting, and festival food.
Dallas
Dallas holds the Trinity River Kite Festival in the fall. So far there's no official date but keep an eye on the Trinity River Conservancy website for information later in the year.