Portsmouth Kite Festival 2021: Dates, location, when to see the best kites, weather forecast and all you need to know

The highly anticipated Portsmouth Kite Festival is back and it will be celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Portsmouth Kite Festival in during the summer of 2018.Portsmouth Kite Festival in during the summer of 2018.
Portsmouth Kite Festival in during the summer of 2018.

The event, which is organised by Portsmouth City Council and The Kite Society of Great Britain, was cancelled last year due to Covid-19 restrictions.

It is taking place over two days this weekend on Southsea Common, with hundreds of kite fliers from around the world taking part.

The Portsmouth Kite Festival will have many demonstrations on the art of kite flying and making, as well as colourful kites in the sky throughout the duration of the event.

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Here is all you need to know about timings and what’s going on at the kite festival.

When is it taking place?

The Portsmouth Kite Festival will take place on today and tomorrow.

Kite flying activities and events will be between 10.30am and 5.30pm on both days, with the prize giving ceremony on Sunday evening.

Where is it taking place?

The annual kite festival will be located on Southsea Common.

What is going on?

There will be a variety of displays over the two-day festival.

The displays will include:

-A synchronised multiline kite ballet starring UK Championship winners.

- Mass Octopus KiteFlight.

-Artistic kite display.

-Giant soft kites.

-Quad line kite displays set to music

-Japanese fighting kites

-Altitude sprint

-Showcase of individual kite artists and fliers.

And many more!

There will also be many specialist kite traders, craft stools, refreshment stools and children’s entertainment at the event.

What will the weather be like?

Be sure to pack a waterproof jacket if you are planning on coming down for the last few kites, with rain being forecast from 4pm today.

There will be rainy showers throughout the morning until 2pm tomorrow.

What’s the weekend schedule?

- 10.30am: “Altitude sprint”- Race against the clock to be the highest kite in the sky.

- 10.40am: “Flying Fish”. Pairs dual line ballet routines set to music.

- 11.00am: “L-Katz”. Four-person team dual line ballet routines set to music.

- 11.15am: “Art Kites”—The opportunity to see some of the many artistic kites from our invited guests.

- 11.30am: “The Decorators”. Watch the displays of synchronised Quad Line flying set to music.

- 11.50am: “Meet the Maker” – Karl Longbottom and friends display a selection of his creations.

- 12.05pm: “Team Spectrum” - Carl Wright with many dual line routines including “One Man—Three Kites

- 12.20pm: “The feminine touch”. Celebrating women kite makers and fliers.

- 12.40pm: “Fracture Kite Team”. A new multi-line kite team to the festival flying routines set to music.

- 1pm: “Mythical Creatures. Kites from the imagination” – you do not see these every day! Dragons really can fly.

- 1.15pm: “The Decorators”. Watch the displays of synchronised Quad Line flying set to music.

- 1.30pm: “Art Kites”—Another opportunity to see some of the spectacular kites from some of our invited guests.

- 1.50pm: “Mass launch of kites with long flowing tails.

- 2.00pm: “Meet the kite fliers”. A chance for the public to interact with the invited guests and fly kites.

- 2.30pm: “Flying Fish”. A pairs dual line ballet routines to music.

- 2.45pm: “L-Katz”. A four-person team dual line ballet routines set to music.

- 3.00pm: “Team Spectrum” - Carl Wright with many dual line routines including “One Man—Three Kites”

- 3.15pm: “Octopus Fly”. How many tentacles are there in the sky? As many of these kites that we can gather in the sky at one time.

- 3.35pm: “Fracture Kite Team”. A second chance to see this new multi-line kite team to the festival flying routines set to music.

- 3.55pm: “The Decorators’. Catch the displays of synchronised Quad Line flying set to music.

- 4.15pm: “Spirit and Dove Fly”—these ethereal kites provide a moment to reflect and remember.

- 4.30pm: “Rokkaku Challenge Japanese style fighting kites battle in the sky for supremacy.”

- 4.40pm: “Multi-line flying”. Another opportunity to see both the two line and four line teams. Includes a mega team fly of multi-line kites.

- 5.30pm: “Festival Close and Free Flying (Sunday prize giving)”.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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