“SATURDAY: Blossom Kite Festival – National Cherry Blossom Festival”

photo by Brett Weinstein

From an email:

“One of the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s signature events, the Blossom Kite Festival Presented by Amazon, will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

The event will feature a mass ascension of student-made kites from the Kites with KIPP program with Kite Master Mikio Toki, Japanese drumming performances, kite ballets, demonstrations by professional kite teams, adult and youth kite makers competitions, bol kite races, and rokkaku kite battles.

The Blossom Kite Festival is one of several events that are part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which spans four weeks to celebrate spring and the beauty of the cherry blossoms. The Festival will take place March 20 – April 14, 2024, throughout Washington, D.C., and around the region. The Blossom Kite Festival is presented by Amazon.

The event also takes place alongside Sakura Taiko Fest presented by Chase, produced by Washington, D.C.-based Japanese drumming group, Miyako Taiko. A talented lineup of taiko drumming performers from across North America will take the stage at the Sylvan Theatre from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The performances will feature a variety of taiko styles as a celebration of Japanese-American cultural and artistic traditions.

WHAT: Blossom Kite Festival Presented by Amazon

COMPETITION & DEMONSTRATION FIELD

· Welcome Remarks: 10:00 AM

· National Anthem: 10:05 AM

· KIPP Mass Ascension + Mikio Toki: 10:10 AM

· Mikio Toki Demo + Kite Ballets: 10:45 – 11:15 AM

· TEAM KITELIFE Demo #1: 11:15 – 11:45 AM

· Hot Tricks Showdown: 11:45 – 12:30 PM

· TEAM KITELIFE Demo #2: 12:30 – 1:00 PM

· Adult Kite Makers Competition: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

· Professional Mass Ascension: 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM

· Kite Arch: 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM

· Rokkaku Battle: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

· TEAM KITELIFE Demo #3: 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

· Awards: 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

FAMILY FIELD

· NOT A SAINT BAND: 10:30 – 11:45 AM

· Practice Fly for Youth Kite Makers: 10:45 – 11:45 AM

· Youth Kite Makers Competition: 12:00 – 12:45 PM

· Youth Kite Makers Awards: 12:45 – 1:00 PM

· IAN CARROLL BAND: 1:15 – 2:30 PM

· Mascots Bol Race: 2:00 – 2:30 PM GUAVA JELLY BAND (Bol Races): 2:30 – 4:00 PM

* Schedule is subject to change

COMPETITION REGISTRATION INFORMATION

· Adult Kitemakers Competition Registration………………………..10:00 – 12:00 PM

· Youth Kitemakers Competition Registration………………………..10:30 – 11:30 AM

· This year, the theme of the kitemaking competition is ‘Colors of the Wind’.

· To fly a kite in the Adult Kitemakers Competition, Hot Tricks Showdown, or Rokkaku Battle, competitors must register either online in advance or at the Registration Tent on the day of the event. Registration is free of charge.

· To fly a kite in the Youth Kitemakers Competition, youth competitors must register at the table next to the Family Field Stage on the day of the event.

· Registration for all other competitions will remain open until spaces are filled, or the competition begins.

*Winners of each category will receive a prize!

WHO:

Diana Mayhew, President & CEO, National Cherry Blossom Festival
Patrick Phillippi, Senior Manager of Community Engagement for Amazon
Mikio Toki, Kite Master

WHERE: Grounds of the Washington Monument

WHEN: Saturday, March 30, 2024 (Rain date: Sunday, March 31, 2024)

National Anthem at 10:05 a.m.
Kites with KIPP Mass Ascension at 10:10 a.m.
Sakura Taiko Fest produced by Miyako Taiko and sponsored by Chase, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. (located at Sylvan Theater)”