Portsmouth International Kite Festival

Saturday 25th - Monday 27th August 2001

Location: Southsea Common, Portsmouth, Hants.
Organised by: The Kite Society

Blue sky, sunshine, the hottest August Bank Holiday for 10 years - what better reason to be at the Portsmouth International Kite Festival? (Oh yes, kites!)

We arrived on Saturday morning, just after a large thunder cloud had threatened the kite festival. The sky was soon blue again and it got increasingly hotter as the day went on - well over 30 degrees C. The wind was good all day, averaging 7-10mph.

There were many international kite fliers present, including from France, Zoone and Team Flic, also Robert Valkenburgh with his Aeolian Wind Garden. There were displays throughout the day from the Avon Kite Fliers, Team Vortex, The Flying Squad, Carl Robertshaw, the British Buggy Club and a special display called "La Belle Francais" where the French fliers present showed off their flying skills and amazing kites.

The Animal Kingdom display had a multitude of kites of varying shapes and sizes. Seahorses, sharks, birds, octopii, snakes and many more took to the skies.

Alas, the day had to draw to a close. At 4.55 pm all kites were brought down out of the sky. We were then treated to a fantastic display by the Red Arrows jet display team, which wowed the amassed crowds on the seafront.

Click on any photograph to see a larger version.

Creatures of the sea, land & air

Goose flying alongside a Wolf	Birdman	Zoone's 'Funax' bird-like kite alongside a 'Sentinelle'
A truly spectacular arch!		Team Flic doing their ballet routine
Sentinelles	'Raymond' kite being flown by one of the Flying Squad	Traders area
Avon Kite Fliers' huge arch	Mega Team Fly (with Revolutions)	Cooling off from the heat... ahh!!

P.S. If you lost your red and white Rokkaku to the sea at 12.15pm on Saturday, here's what happened to it...