July 26^th & 27^th 2008, 11:00AM - 5:00PM

 

Cesar E. Chavez Park at the Berkeley Marina

 

Email Contact: Fest@HighlineKites.com

Festival Headquarters: 510-235-KITE or 235-5483

 

Festival Highlights:

 

 

 

A walk through the Berkeley Kite Festival

At the Berkeley Kite Festival it seems that a fresh surprise awaits around every corner. In one amphitheater you’ll find multi-line competitions of the Bay Area Sport Kite League. In another you’ll find events and other competitions, such as the candy drops and rokkaku battles. Look to the north and you will see the traditional kites of our special guests from the Sode-cho Kite-Flying Society of Hamamatsu, Japan. In the upper field you’ll enjoy the giant creature kite show of the Berkeley Kite Wranglers. Walk down to the lower field near the main entrance and you will see Ray Bethell, the “One-Man Team,” wowing the crowds.

 

  

      

Just up the hill from Ray, visitors can get hands-on demonstrations of all the latest products from Ozone Kites, Revolution Kites and Prism Designs. Backing up the demo fields is the giant HighlineKites.com tent, where you can get the best kites. Behind the kite tent you’ll see hundreds of kids enjoying the free kite making and behind them, a designated area along the ridge for families and their kites. Each area of the festival will give you a different taste of what kiting has to offer. If you find that your stomach should start to growl, simply follow ridgeline west to the widest array of food offerings ever seen at the BKF. Need a full meal? How about sushi, Thai food or seafood? Just want a snack? How about corn on the cob, pretzels or our favorite, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream? Everything looks so good, you’ll wish you could have one of each!

 

 

  

 

The Kites of Hamamatsu, Japan!

 

Highlighting this year’s festival is a delegation from the Sode-cho Kite-Flying Society of Hamamatsu, Japan. Their traditional “Machijirushi“ kites are indigenous to Hamamatsu and are made from fine paper and bamboo. You’ll meet Japan’s master kite builders and be astounded by their centuries-old traditional kite designs.

 

The kites of Hamamatsu form the center of the city’s annual Matsuri (Festival), in which 170 teams compete in fiercely-contested battles. While the origins of Hamamatsu’s kite traditions date back 448 years, full-scale battles began in 1887.

 

Though civic pride is always at stake in the kite battles, today’s Hamamatsu Matsuri is a celebration of the renewal of life and the confirmation of community spirit. It is now customary for younger people to join together to fly a special celebratory kite on which the name of a newborn child and its family name are written. Today the Matsuri attracts over 1.5 million people each year.

 

 

 

Giant Kite Show & Octopile 2007!

Don’t Miss the Berkeley Kite Wranglers!

 

    

 

At the center of everything is the Berkeley Kite Wranglers’ trademark “Octopile.” With nearly 30,000 square feet of giant show kites in their collection, the Wranglers are the premier giant creature kite team on the planet. Upon seeing their Octopile, you’ll become a believer.

 

 

The Octopile flies in perfect formation as if it knew it were part of the team. With all those tentacles waving rhythmically in the air, the Octopile takes on a life of its own. One or two giant Octopi kites are a sight, but when the Wranglers assemble an Octopile of nine, ten or even more, it becomes a wondrously vibrant spectacle you have to see to believe. And once you see it, you will never forget it.

 

 

  

 

 

Ray Bethell, The Canadian One-Man Team!

 

You may not know him, but if you have ever been to the Annual Berkeley Kite Festival you have probably seen him and his fabulous kites. The Australian-born Canadian now hailing out of British Columbia is known across the globe as the “One-Man Kite Team”. Ray Bethell performs choreographed aerial kite ballet routines flying three or more aerobatic kites simultaneously.

           

Team Kite Ballet is like a cross between the Blue Angels and pairs ice skating. In a typical kite ballet routine, each team member pilots one kite across the sky. Team members fly their kites through highly technical and precisely-choreographed maneuvers as do the Blue Angels. Add music, as used in pairs ice skating, and you get team kite ballet! What makes Ray so special is that he is one man doing what would normally take a three-person team to accomplish.

 

With a special handle and harness system that he built and designed himself, Ray is able to control one kite with his right hand and the second with his left hand. The third kite is attached to and controlled by his hips. “It’s sort of like trying to pat your head and rub your belly at the same time,” says Ray, “while riding a unicycle… backwards… and set to music!”

 

“Kite experts are amazed by the technical difficulties and the raw athleticism of what Ray does,” says Berkeley Kite Festival founder Tom McAlister. The general public “is often captivated by the artistry of his performance and his vibrant personality that shines through his performance.”

 

Definitely a bit of a character, Ray is renowned for going shirtless, regardless of how cold and windy it can sometimes get at a kite festival. But what most people who enjoy Ray’s performances never realize is that he does all of what he does with a disability because, says McAlister, “The man you see doing the work of three, doing work that is choreographed to music, is completely hearing impaired.

 

“If you are lucky enough to meet Ray at this year’s Annual Berkeley Kite Festival,” says McAlister, “I guarantee you will find Ray’s performance and Ray the man to be inspirational.

 

 

BASKL Presents the West Coast Kite Championships

 

         

 

We are excited to have the Bay Area Sport Kite League back again as the organizer of the West Coast Kite Championships at the Berkeley Kite Festival. The BASKL Board of Directors is working tirelessly to ensure that kite competitions continue to thrive at the Berkeley Kite Festival. For registration information visit BASKL on line at www.BASKL.org. Download the Registration Form now. (Adobe PDF file)

 

 

Don’t miss the VIP Cruise on

San Francisco Bay

 

 

After two great days of kite flying we will board the Empress Hornblower Dining Yacht on Sunday July 29^th, for a magical dinner cruise, awards banquet & silent auction on the San Francisco Bay.

 

An Empress Hornblower dinner cruise typically costs $80.00 but as a Berkeley Kite Festival VIP you can join us for only $49.00 per person. That’s almost half off the regular price! The Empress boards at 6:45 and sails at 7:00.

 

This really is a golden opportunity to sail the Golden State on the bay of the fabulous Golden Gate. Don’t miss it!!

For reservations call 510-235-KITE (5483)

 

 

 

 

The Official Hotel of the Berkeley Kite Festival

A World-Class Hotel… and Cookies Too!

 

We are excited to have the DoubleTree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center back as the Official Hotel of the Berkeley Kite Festival & WCKC. The Doubletree is a resort-class hotel located a mere stone’s throw from the Festival site.

 

You can probably already taste the DoubleTree’s world-famous, fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, still warm and offered free at check in!

 

There is a Special Kite Festival room rate for festival guests. Remember to ask for the “Special Kite Festival Rate”. If you booking your reservation on-line, the discount code is “HLK”. Festival veterans all say the DoubleTree is the best place to stay to get the full Berkeley Kite Fest Experience. Be sure to make your reservation by June 29. Remember to ask for the Special Kite Festival Rate code “HLK”.

 

Request the Special Kite Festival Rate at 1-800-243-0625 or directly at 510-548-7920.

For additional hotel information and on-line reservations, go to www.BerkeleyMarina.DoubleTree.com

(The Discount Code for Special Kite Festival rate is “HLK”.)

 

 

The Berkeley Kite Festival
July 26^th & 27^th 2008, 11:00AM - 5:00PM

 

Cesar E. Chavez Park at the Berkeley Marina

 

Email Contact: Fest@HighlineKites.com

Festival Headquarters: 510-235-KITE or 235-5483

 

 

Special thanks to the following sponsors and contributors:

 

 

If you have specific concerns regarding special access at the Berkeley Kite Festival
please contact us directly at Fest@HighlineKites.com or call 510-235-KITE or 235-5483