Welcome

Lamppost Kites and Kite Sculptures on display until September 11, 2006

What is KiteFest?
KiteFest™, the summer-long celebration of “those things at the end of strings” brought to you by Whitaker Center, will present kites in a variety of ways: as artwork for display in area parks and public places, as learning opportunities in a new exhibit called Surf the Wind in Harsco Science Center, and as a series of special events.

Like CowParade Harrisburg 2004, KiteFest will celebrate the work of regional artists, attract visitors and tourists to the area, and engage the community in a spectacular project that will have everyone talking about kites in their infinite colors, shapes, sizes, and cultural diversity.

Why kites? Throughout history, kites have made significant contributions to the arts and sciences. Kites are a quintessential part of many cultures: as American as Benjamin Franklin and Charlie Brown, as ancient and exotic as Chinese dragon kites, and as fierce as Afghan fighting kites. They have inspired dreams of flight since da Vinci’s time and helped to build the mathematical scaffold that launched the Wright Brothers and put astronauts into outer space.

KiteFest is engaging schools through Capital BlueCross Kites in the Classroom. With the program, students in Kindergarten through 5th grade have the opportunity to explore the relationships between art, science, math, design and world cultures through kites. Nearly 4,000 kite kits have been requested by area school districts.

KiteFest and Surf the Wind are presented by Capital BlueCross, sponsored by M&T Bank with media sponsor The Patriot-News.

KiteFest Map
Click here to view the map
Click here to download the map