Best Kite Festival East Coast?midwest?

[toddnkaya]

I’m in Pittsburgh Pa. 

What are the quintessential fastivals on the Esst Coast. ie., before you die you must see this kite festival.

how is the Atlantic City festival in May?

I can’t go this year , but I would like to go to another one this year.

is the D.C. one incredible?

im not too too far from Virginia Beach .

are the festivals great fun for the whole family ? I have a wife and 11 year old daughter. Could a spouse have fun if they don’t give two shits about kites? Food , fun , activities, etc..? 

Thanks for your input!!

Todd

[Paul LaMasters]

1, virginia beach is very narrow sandy area to fly and butted up against the buildings too, but other activities for the family are available.  Very friendly smaller type venue for kite flying and meeting old or new friends.

2, Wildwood (end of this month/Memorial Day weekend) is a fricken' huge beach and the usual activities along a boardwalk during the summer are offered.  My bride doesn't like wildwood but loves Cape May.  It is less than 10 minutes away, one the beach is FREE but if you dig down five inches there's a hypodermic needle buried.  Cape May is upper crusty bed & Breakfasts, quaint little shopping and CLEAN from the sky to the soil.  Wildwood is the largest event of the 3, longest lasting and more diversity of kiting types in the air, even an indoor gig with a huge facility.  Everyone should do this event at least once. Do NOT attempt to drive home Monday the 28th of May though!  nobody ever leaves then unless you didn't know any better.  Traffic doesn't move ten miles in 4 hours' time,....  you've been warned!

3, The Washington DC event (Cherry Blossom KiteFest) is a one day gig with a thousand touristy things to do in the area before or afterwards. 13 Smithsonian museums~all free, a killer zoo, again free.  Parking is huge hassle all around the communities nearby and downtown but the festival is fun even if you didn't "live" kiting.  The event is kinda' tough with local wind conditions, it's surrounded by trees and large buildings so turbulence should be expected, and almost certainly the high wind kites can stay home.  The local kite club is very active so you could join us and learn something new.  We have all the different interests represented.

[toddnkaya]

Thanks for all this valuable information Paul !!

I am going to avoid the  Virginia Beach festival as I spent 4 blissful days in Norfolk on the Bay, but did not enjoy the few hours in VB

I think its Wildwood next year, or one day in the future. I grew up in Philadelphia so I know the Jersey Shore pretty well, and really enjoy it.

I imagine staying for the weekend would be very costly though. And traffic would be brutal getting in and out of The Shore.

Maybe a day trip from Phila.? Leave early , spend until 8pm and cruise back to Phila. where I can stay for free.

Or a one night stay at the shore , so we can spend two days taking in all the kiting festivities. I would imagine one day would not be enough to take in all the sites.

I did find a good website outlining the best kite festival in the U.S.

http://www.topeventsusa.com/top-kite-festivals-USA.html

 

 

[riffclown]

Another few hours past Virginia Beach will get you to Jockey's Ridge. That is a must fly location.   The Rogallo Kite Festival is held there each year. The Wright Memorial at Kitty Hawk/ Kill Devil Hills is also a historic location for our particular hobby..