Student News Media: Festival of the Winds; Kites fly high at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Festival of the Winds; Kites fly high at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

Bondi Beach today was once again home to the annual Festival of the Winds, where kite flying in the paramount attraction.

Festival of the Winds is Australia’s biggest and most entertaining kite flying festival and today the weather really turned it on for the festival, with sun and strong winds.

Flyer Society members showcased their designs along with kite designs from India, Malaysia, China and Japan.

The public both made kites and some also purchased them from the kite stalls in the park. Some even took kite making workshops.

In addition to kite flying, there was a multicultural entertainment program throughout the day with great music, dance and kid’s shows.

Acts include, Pak Hok Kung Fu International, who celebrated the Year of the Dragon with their Kung Fu mastery and famous Lion Dance; The Asthmatix, a local hybrid hip hop trio with soaring fiddles and Hebrew humour; Freeman Dancers (Wiradjuri), Australian Indigenous traditional dance and music from the Wiradjuri Nation; Afrokings featuring Moussa Diakete from Mali performing Afro, Latin, Funk and dance grooves; and, El Orqueston, performing the festival finale with a salsa party featuring a 12 piece live band and Cuban dancers.

The was also additional entertainment including free dance workshops in African Dance, Capoeira, Zumba, Salsa and Tango, with the ever popular Tango Milonga at the end of the day. Children enjoyed pony rides, fun slides, leaping castles, face painting, animal farm, wandering minstrels, jugglers, stilt walkers, puppeteers, clowns, and craft workshops.

The Red Baron plane also performed an aerobatic display and there was loads of multicultural food stalls with food and drink from across the globe.