Newport Mayor Charles M. Holder has proclaimed July 11 and 12 “Newport Kite Festival Days” in recognition of the Newport Kite Festival’s 40th anniversary, organizers announced.
The festival, founded in 1986, is held annually at Brenton Point State Park and is free to the public. According to the proclamation, the event draws an estimated 20,000 attendees each year and is one of the city’s longest-running community traditions. It is entirely volunteer-run.
The festival was rooted in Newport’s cultural exchange with its Japanese sister city of Shimoda, organizers said, and has returned to Brenton Point each summer since its founding.
“I call upon all residents and visitors to recognize and celebrate forty years of community, joy, and dreams taking flight at Brenton Point State Park,” Holder said in the proclamation. The document also recognizes Festival Director Ron Kitt, who has led the event for 19 years.
“This recognition means everything to everyone who has ever shown up to fly a kite at Brenton Point, packed up in the wind and rain, and come back the next year anyway,” said Rashida Black, the festival’s volunteer lead for marketing, development and community partnerships. “The Newport Kite Festival has always served this community. It is gratifying to see the City of Newport say so, officially, on the record.”
Several anniversary programs are planned in partnership with local institutions. The Newport Public Library will host a month-long international kite cultural exhibition opening July 1, and a children’s kite-making workshop is scheduled at the library on June 27, according to organizers. A commemorative documentary short titled “Go Talk To Claiborne” is in production, tracing the festival’s founding history through its founder, Tom Casselman.
Festival hours and the full programming schedule will be announced in the coming weeks, organizers said. Brenton Point State Park is at Ocean Drive in Newport. More information is available at newportkitefestival.com.
