KNYSNA NEWS - The 2016 Eden Kite Festival is going to be huge! To fill the skies with their amazing creations are 15 pro kite flyers from around South Africa as well as Canada, England, Holland, Germany, New Zealand and Singapore.
Those who attended last year will be even more amazed this year, as giant 3D inflatable kites take to the skies above Karatara on Sunday, October 23. Craig Hansen from New Zealand makes the largest kites in the world – the size of half a rugby field and weighing over 100kg.
While we won’t have anything quite that big, expect – among many others – a 30m x 10m flying fish; a red devil 20m long and big enough to walk around in; Toothless the Dragon and a squadron of five fighter planes.
There will also be a huge selection of more traditional kites including intricately decorated art kites and several of an ancient Japanese design called Sanjo Rokkaku (look out for the portrait Rokkaku of "Soutie” Hulcoop from England). Maarten and Tjitske van Hienen from Holland have patchwork kites consisting of hundreds of pieces sewn together, and Ralf Maserski from Germany and his son have amazing eye-tricking illusion kites.
The Rokkaku kite will also be seen again in the kite challenge, when teams of three battle it out to see who can bring down their opponents and be the last kite in the air. This tradition goes back several hundred of years to feudal Japan.
There is still time to enter a team of your own and there are prizes for the battle winners and the best-dressed teams. Bring friends and family to cheer you on, and you can swop team-members between heats so more than three can enjoy the fun. Contact Tertia on 082-046-0463 to enter.
Another feature this year are masterclass kitemaking workshops to be held by Gadis Widiyati of Singapore. She is a world-renowned kite flyer, kitemaker and festival organiser. There are very limited spaces on her workshops so make a plan early. Twenty places are available at the Scarab Market on Saturday and another 20 on Sunday at the festival field in Karatara. Tickets for Saturday are at the Kite by Design stall at Scarab, and for Sunday at the festival information stand.
From South Africa we have Ashley and Mari Ware-Lane from Cape Town with their collection of parrots, fish and other colourful, shaped kites, as well as Jacques Cronje from Pretoria flying his unique Phoenix kite. Garden Route kiters Greg Mountjoy, Keith Mould and Bryan Freeman will be showing their wares too.
Another highlight takes place on Saturday night at PiliPili Beach Bar from 17:30. Crag Hansen is also an intrepid explorer – he has crossed much of Mongolia and the Sahara on a three-wheeled kite buggy and will share some hair-raising tales.
There will also be a charity auction after Hansen's talk, and then the kiters will fly amazing lit-up kites on Myoli Beach. Night-flying kites are spectacular and something you may never see again.
Proceeds to Masithandane
The whole festival is in aid of the wonderful work Masithandane does in our communities, from providing meals and school transport to taking care of terminal HIV patients and lots more, and also beautifying Sedgefield with the mosaic art. We thank all of our supporters and sponsors, especially gold sponsors Sotheby’s International Realty (Sedgefield), Kites by Design of Knysna, Naturally Knysna and the Knysna municipality.
On the day there is entertainment for the whole family on top of the amazing kites you’ll see: a jumping castle, craft and food stalls, face-painting, kitemaking workshops, sweets dropped from kites for kids of all ages, a parachuting teddy bear, picking raffle winners and so much more. Entrance is by donation and there will be lucky draws for those who donate.
So make, buy or borrow a kite or just come and watch, but be there! Kites will be on sale at the field as well as at Scarab Market on Saturday as always. Like Eden Kite Festival on Facebook to get the latest updates and more info on the day’s events, entertainment, craft and food stalls and kiters. You can also bid on the auction items before Saturday on Facebook.
10:30 Grand opening – meet the kiters and the mayor will open the festival.
11:00 – 13:00 Sotheby’s slow bike competition.
11:30 Kitemaking workshop by Gadis Widiyati / Masithandane children’s workshop.
12:00 Kite ballet and kite buggy demonstrations.
12:00 – 14: 00 team kite battle
13:30 Masithandane children’s workshop
11:30 & 14:00 Kiddies’ "boeresport"
* Info: Tertia Rothman 082-046-0463 / projectscomasithandane@gmail.com.
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