Professional kitefliers lift giant squid kites into the sky. Bostonians gathered to marvel over the kiting display.
The Revere Beach community welcomed spectators May 19 as hundreds of decorative kites took to the air to celebrate the return of the beach season with the 8th annual Kite Festival. Hosted by the Revere Beach Partnership, the public event brought Boston families together to build, decorate and fly kites for a day filled with joy and creativity. The festival not only showcased the artistry of kite making, it also fostered a sense of unity among attendees.
Bystanders watch as a large purple and black octopus kite starts to catch the wind. Attendees’ experience levels varied from first-time kitefliers to expert pilots. (Curtis DeSmith)A dragon figure kite soars in the wind. Many kites at the festival resembled animals, characters and other pop culture icons. (Curtis DeSmith)
Spanning the Revere beachfront, visitors chose between watching the kite flying or purchasing a kite to join the other participants. Kite purchases made to the Partnership helped support the future plans of the organization, such as other summer Revere Beach events like the International Sand Sculpting Festival, Summer Music Series and Art Festival.
A group begins their attempt at participating in the kiting festivities. Revere Beach’s windy conditions lifted nearly every kite off the ground. (Curtis DeSmith)A butterfly figure kite floats in front of the Revere Beach boardwalk. The first 300 children to arrive received complimentary kites. (Curtis DeSmith)A cluster of kites, big and small, fly in the air. The festival extended nearly a mile along Revere Beach. (Curtis DeSmith)
Professional pilots helped bolster excitement for first-time fliers, showing off kites reaching lengths of up to 50 feet long. Other traditional kites could be found in various forms, such as figure kites designed to depict specific images, box kites known for their unique structure, or kite trains, where multiple kites are attached to the same string, creating an entertaining display of sequenced designs. While most kites at the festival were only used for display and enjoyment purposes, visitors could learn about the many uses kites have, such as competition, weather, propulsion and more.
The registration tables of the Kite Festival. Although patrons had the option to purchase figure kites, many brought kites of their own. (Curtis DeSmith)A pair of kitefliers prepare their kite, provided by the festival. This year, kites were designed to celebrate Suffolk County’s Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins for his 10 years of service. (Curtis DeSmith)A flying figure kite resembles a jet plane. Kites were historically used in the military for many purposes: air rescue, aerial observation, target practice and more. (Curtis DeSmith)Individuals at various stages of the kite-flying experience. Many first-time kitefliers struggled, while experienced pilots flew with ease. (Curtis DeSmith)A group works together to get their kite off the ground. One person held and reeled the line steadily while the other waited patiently for the wind to catch. (Curtis DeSmith)
