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Bermuda Kite Festival on Good Friday
Bermudians make different kinds of kites of various sizes and shapes. Most of them are hexagonal (with 6 sides) or octagonal (8 sides) in shape.
They are made of colorful paper tissues, wood or stripped bamboo sticks, strings and metals. The kites usually have a long tail that helps to balance it during flight.
Some of the kites are so huge that it takes several people to hold and release them in the air.
So why do the Bermudians fly kites on Good Friday and not on other days? The story goes saying that a local teacher was trying to explain to his students during his Sunday school how Jesus elevated himself to Heaven by self power, i.e. about Christ's Ascension. Since he could not convince the students, he launched a kite that looked like Jesus Christ to explain the matter.
Since then the kite festival is held on Good Fridays at Horseshoe Bay Beach. Most kites still use a cross as part of its structure. Initially the kite flying was done only after 3pm in the afternoon. However these days you will see the kites flying all day long.
Bermuda Kite Festival at Horseshoe Bay Beach
Update March 2012: Chewstick Foundation of Bermuda will be organizing the kite festival from now onwards. They have taken over the responsibility from UBP (United Bermuda Party). Since 2002, the foundation has been actively engaged in creative social programs and events. For further information, Email info@chewstick.org or call them at 441/292-2439.
March 29, 2013 Good Friday & Kite Festival
Chewstick Foundation organized the Kite Festival this year. There has been great turn out in Horseshoe Bay Beach. Eating fish cakes, live music and kite competition have been the main activities. There has also been other activities like 3-legged race etc. The entire event lasted from 10am until 6pm.
Both locals and visitors can participate in the Kite Competition held at the Horseshoe Bay Beach. The event commences at 11am and closes at 4pm.
Music and live entertainment at the beach starts at 11:30pm. The kite contest starts at 2pm and soon thereafter a tug-o-war competition also begins at the beach, which too can be participated by locals and visitors.
April, 2010 account of the Kite Festival in Bermuda
Over 1000 people including families and children gathered at the Horseshoe bay beach in Bermuda for the Kite Festival. This is one of the biggest annual Easter events held in Southampton Bermuda. Initially some rain in the morning threatened as a damper to the event.
But by mid day the sun was beating down and the sky was full with colorful kites of all shapes and size. Other than the traditional Bermuda kites that are made of tissue paper and wood, there were many shop-bought ones with shapes of dragons, space shuttles, sharks and lot more.
The Best In Show Kite at
Bermuda Kite Festival
All through the day, different categories of kite flying competitions are held in the beach. The Best in Show prize this year was won by Dion Smith who took five hours to make a fabulous kite with red and silver foils. Then there were prizes for largest kite, for kite with best technology and so on. Along with Bermudians, many visitors also participate in the Kite competition and there are visitors' prize category as well. A tourist who has visited the island for 40 times had also participated in the Kite competition with her home made kite. The youth wing of United Bermuda Party had put on a special show including live music, a tug-of-war contest and a Bermudian kite competition.
Related Articles
1) Check out Bermuda Events for all the main events & festivals in Bermuda
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