Kite days out
Portsmouth International
Kite Festival
One of the biggest kite festivals
in the world will have the theme
‘Returning Friends’ over the
weekend of 8 and 9 August- There will be synchronised
kite-flying, kites from around the
world, giant kites, dancing kites
and everything in between.
Sunderland Kite Festival
A weekend of kite-flying displays
held in Herrington Country
Park on 1 and 2 August.
Streatham Kite Day
Watch professional kite fliers, fly
your own, or even have a go at
making one at this family-friendly
day out in London on 10th May.
The Kite Society lists festivals
on its website. Check out
thekitesociety.org.uk/events
to find one near you.
OUTINGBlue sky thinking
l The first kites were flown in
China, sometime between 2,
and 3,000 years ago. The first
written account tells of Chinese
general Han Hsin, who, when
besieging a town, apparently
flew a kite over its walls in order
to calculate the distance his
troops would have to tunnel
to carry out a surprise attack.
l Kites are thought to have
arrived in Japan around the 7th
century BC – where they really
took off (pun intended) – and
Marco Polo brought back stories
of kites to Italy at the end of the
13th century. Kites themselves
reached Europe in the 16th and
17th centuries, brought back
from Malaysia by traders.
l Many Victorian inventors
experimented with kites. One
early – and frankly terrifying –
creation was made by George
Pocock in 1822. He attached
two kites to a carriage enabling
the vehicle to reach speeds of
20mph. Cleverly, it also avoided
the road tax of the day, as tolls
were calculated on how many
horses were pulling a carriage.“I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies’ skirts across the grass –
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!”
Robert Louis Stevenson, The Wind
Kitedaysout
PortsmouthInternational
KiteFestival
Oneofthebiggestkitefestivals
in theworldwillhavethetheme
‘ReturningFriends’overthe
weekendof8 and9 August
2020.Therewillbesynchronised
kite-flying,kitesfromaroundthe
world,giantkites,dancingkites
andeverythingin between.
SunderlandKiteFestival
A weekendofkite-flyingdisplays
heldin HerringtonCountry
Parkon1 and2 August.
StreathamKiteDay
Watchprofessionalkitefliers,fly
yourown,orevenhavea goat
makingoneatthisfamily-friendly
dayoutin Londonon10thMay.
TheKiteSocietylistsfestivals
onitswebsite.Checkout
thekitesociety.org.uk/events
tofindonenearyou.OUTING
Blue sky thinking
l The first kites were flown in
China, sometime between 2,
and 3,000 years ago. The first
written account tells of Chinese
general Han Hsin, who, when
besieging a town, apparently
flew a kite over its walls in order
to calculate the distance his
troops would have to tunnel
to carry out a surprise attack.
l Kites are thought to have
arrived in Japan around the 7th
century BC – where they really
took off (pun intended) – and
Marco Polo brought back stories
of kites to Italy at the end of the
13th century. Kites themselves
reached Europe in the 16th and
17th centuries, brought back
from Malaysia by traders.
l Many Victorian inventors
experimented with kites. One
early – and frankly terrifying –
creation was made by George
Pocock in 1822. He attached
two kites to a carriage enabling
the vehicle to reach speeds of
20mph. Cleverly, it also avoided
the road tax of the day, as tolls
were calculated on how many
horses were pulling a carriage.“I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies’ skirts across the grass –
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!”
Robert Louis Stevenson, The Wind