Thousands at St. Ann Kite Festival

OCHO RIOS — The Jamaica International Kite Festival on Easter Monday April 25, saw thousands of locals and visitors enjoying the gusty winds at the Richmond Estates, St. Ann.

Organizing Committee member, Courtney Wallace, told JIS News that the event has proven itself to be the mega one for the Easter weekend on the North Coast, attracting thousands of visitors for each year of the past seven years.

“We started out as the St. Ann Kite Festival and we are now the Jamaica International Kite Festival, and that is a measure of our growth so far, that we have actually taken the festival international and are now being seen by the international kiting community,” Mr. Wallace said.

He noted that the two-day event, which started on Sunday, April 24, was well attended and he was pleased with the support.

“We are now officially at two days with April 25 being the big day, and we like the way that things are going. The kite flyers are here and there are thousands of kites in the sky,” he pointed out. 

Visitor from London, England, Ray Harper told JIS News that he found the event quite interesting.

“I try to come to Jamaica every other year, but this is my first time to an event of this nature and we are having fun,” Mr. Harper said.

Columbus, Ohio resident, A.J. Coverdale, was so involved with the kites he told JIS News that he was having a wonderful time with his family.

“Normally when I go on vacation, I always travel with kites with the intention of flying them on the beach, so I came to Jamaica with that said intention, not knowing that this festival would be happening, but I am here today with my family enjoying a good day of kite flying,” Mr. Coverdale said.

St. Ann resident, Rosemarie Phillips, commended the organizers of the event for allowing families to build stronger bonds through fun activities.

“It is really a good event and it gets better every year. It is good for the family and that is why I am here,” she told JIS News.

By ALDEEN CAMPBELL, JIS REGIONAL OFFICE