The 24th Annual Wildwoods International Kite Festival will kick off the summer season in the Wildwoods this Memorial Day Weekend from Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25. The festival will feature kite makers from around the world flying their most incredible creations.

Kite Festival Image by GeishaBoy500 on Flickr

Every kind of kite imaginable will be at the festival. Kites of all shapes and sizes – from inflatable flying creatures to traditional kites – will be soaring high over the beach at Rio Grande Avenue in the Wildwoods. The Wildwoods is renowned for giant kites that are visible from miles away. This year, giant kite experts Jack Rogers, Gary Engvall, Dennis Hawley and Tom Zach will be lofting giant sea creatures over the beach.

Guest kite makers this year include Ron Gibian of Visalia, CA; Dean Jordan of Gainesville, FL; Cliff Quinn of Coopersburg, PA; Christine McGee and Daniel Remillard of Quebec, Canada; and Normand Girard and Dominic Guimond of Montreal, Canada, to name just a few.

At 9:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22, join us for the Nite Kite Fly featuring illuminated kites of all kinds! On Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24, the East Coast Stunt Kite Championships will take place, featuring the best sport kite pilots in the United States. The championships are comprised of a variety of competitions for individuals, pairs and teams. End the holiday weekend on Monday, May 25, when the festival will feature the World Indoor Kite Competition.

Each year hundreds of kite fliers from area kite clubs attend the festival. This year, members of the South Jersey Kite Flyers, Liberty High Spirits of New Jersey, Kites Over New England, Wings Over Washington, Richmond Air Force, Connectikiters and Keystone Kiters will be filling the sky over the Wildwoods with their colorful creations.

Additional entertainment throughout the weekend festival will include:

• South Jersey Kite Flyers – Friday night social, poolside, Oceanic Hotel, $5.00 all you can eat buffet beginning at 6:00 p.m.
• Friday Nite Kite Fly – features illuminated kites, starting at 9:00 p.m. on the beach between Rio Grande Avenue and Andrews Avenue
• Boardwalk on the Beach – vendors selling kites, arts and crafts, novelties, food and drinks on the beach between Leaming Avenue and Andrews Avenue
• Free kite lessons and a “Learn To Fly” field is being offered on the beach in front of Leaming Avenue during the day on Saturday and Sunday
• Free “Learn to Fly Indoor” kite lessons in the Wildwoods Convention Center
• Free kite making workshops for all on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the Wildwoods Convention Center
• Raffles for FREE Indian Fighter Kite flying lessons on Saturday and Sunday
• Extravagant kite exhibits on display in the Wildwoods Convention Center
• Demonstrations and workshops by world class stunt kite flyers both in the Wildwoods Convention Center and on the beach near Rio Grande Avenue
• Kite Makers Competition, Saturday on the beach near Rio Grande Avenue
• Indian Fighter Kite battles on Sunday on the beach near Rio Grande Avenue
• Japanese Rokkaku challenges – taking place Sunday afternoon on the beach near Rio Grande Avenue
• Kite Club Ground Displays – bring your camera
• Four-line stunt kite mega fly and skill games on Saturday and Sunday on the demo and activities field
• Great Kite Auction – open to the public in the Wildwoods Convention Center on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. – many unique kites and collectibles will be auctioned off
• Kite games and competitions including Running of the Bols competition for kids and adults with prizes; ground display judging; sport kite competition judging; candy drops and more
• The Kodiak Band playing at the Oceanic bar on Sunday evening.

The 24th Annual Wildwoods International Kite Festival will be located on the beach at Rio Grande Avenue and in the Wildwoods Convention Center. Wildwood is located in Cape May County in South Jersey at the Jersey Shore.

Get more information on hotels, motels, restaurants and entertainment in the Wildwoods Here.

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*Notes: The photo at the top is from Flickr and was created by GeishaBoy500, you can see his fine work here. The image was published with a Creative Commons license which means:

“you can download the images (at full resolution!), reinterpret the images and display them under the condition that you give credit to the original artist (me) AND allow any other artist to manipulate and distribute your version under the same agreement.”

I have made adjustments to the photo to work on this page for my purposes and in my format. I hereby publish the photo here under the same license that the owner published the original. You are free to take my version of the photograph and adapt it to your purposes as long as you give me credit for my adaptation. I would also love it if you would give the photographer credit also, as they deserve the credit.

Filed under: Cape May County, Jersey Shore Events, Memorial Day Events, South, Sporting Events in New Jersey

Tagged with: big kites • illuminated kites • kite displays • kite festival • kite flying contest • kite makers • May 22 • May 23 • May 24 • May 25 • Memorial Day Events • nj festivals • nj kite festival • south jerssey • wildwood • wildwood kite festival • wildwoods • wildwoods festivals

About John Stringfellow

I'm the owner, editor, photographer, feature writer, graphic designer, IT department and chief janitor at BestofNJ.com. I love technology, travel, learning and New Jersey.

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