Festival draws kite flyers from across England

Last year's kite designs included clownfish, pandas, an octopus and snakes

Award-winning kite flyers from across the north of England will be taking to the skies this weekend for Filey Kite Festival.

The free event at Filey Brigg Country Park, organised by North Yorkshire Council and the Northern Kite Group, will take place alongside the Filey Food and Drink Festival.

Event commentator and kite maker Alan Poxon, from Gargrave in the Dales, said kite-flying reignited the child in those who took part.

He said: “Kite-flying is about the safest way of flying with your feet on the ground. It’s a surprisingly liberating thing that many grown-ups have forgotten about.”

'Aerial ballet'

In previous years kite designs have included clownfish, huge pandas, an octopus and snakes.

This year, Josh Mitcheson, from Newcastle - who has competed in sport kite championships throughout the UK and Europe, securing 22 national titles - will be flying his kite to music.

He will be joined by Mr Poxon and his wife Becky who will also perform a kite display to music.

Mr Poxon said: “We will be doing something akin to an aerial ballet.

"It is very much in the style of figure skating.”

Also on the day’s schedule is a teddy bear drop, where teddies will fly down on a parachute for children to catch, and a Chinese dragon kite, flown by Tom Potts and Melissa Simpkins.

Executive council member Mark Crane said it would be a “fantastic event”.

He said: “While people are looking skywards, they can also enjoy some of the finest food and drink the county has to offer.

“It is important that events such as this do not stand still and continually look to change and innovate, and we think the addition of the food festival will make this a major draw, not only for visitors but for local people too.”

Mr Poxon said Filey Brigg was a good place to fly a kite, but the nearby trees were an occupational hazard.

“Every good kite flyer has a kite stuck in a tree somewhere,” he said.

I am no exception, mine is down in Essex.”

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