An annual Cornwall kite festival is hoping to help blow away the winter cobwebs and bring in spring.
St Ives Town Council is staging Kite Fest 2024 on Saturday, March 30 between 1pm and 3pm. It will be held on on St Ives Island.
A kite making day will be held ahead of the event at Cornerstone in the library building on March 23.
A town council spokesperson said: “There’s something special about St Ives in spring.
“Clear, expansive skies and fresh sea air. As the clocks go forward and we leap into a new season, it’s the ideal time to blow away the cobwebs and embrace the elements with a fun, free activity for all – St Ives Kite Fest is back for 2024. Revived by St Ives Town Council in 2022 this annual community event lead by the cultural services team, are thrilled to be working alongside ‘Dr Kite’ Billy Wynter and also local art teacher Laura Peach, who runs the weekly St Ives Library Art Club to deliver this year’s event.”
Cultural services manager Emma Gibson added: “I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like flying or watching kites dance in the sky.
“Recycled and the use of sustainable materials is key to our approach of kite-making, we have our fingers crossed for fine flying weather and will holding our breath to see if we can get our Kites up in the air.
“There are various ways people can get involved. Thanks to funding provided by Feast and St Ives Community Fund, Peach will be holding workshops in three local schools with a new kite design, we have our public making day at the library.
“Or if making is not your thing, you can simply come along, with or without a kite to flight day. We really hope everyone will see this as a chance to get together celebrate our community and the town.”
Mayor Cllr Johnnie Wells said: “The Island, has a long history of being a place where the community of St Ives gets together from laying their washing to dry, to plays, and even the Radio 1 Roadshow made an appearance back in the day.
“Kite Fest and flight day draws attention to this history of getting together for a common purpose, in a space that is free open and accessible to all.
“Every year Kite Fest draws a great crowd of enthusiastic kite flyers and even if you aren’t flying a kite, it is quite a spectacle seeing that many kites all flying at once. And as they say, the only thing better than flying a kite, it’s flying a kite with other people.”
Places are limited for the Dr Kite Making Workshops on March 23 so advance booking is recommend.
To book in person pop into Cornerstone at the library building, or call 01736 796297 or online via stives.ticketsolve.com
All kites are welcome on the day. For further details and downloadable kite making guide is available via stiveskitefest.co.uk