March 26th, 2013
Kite Flying at Cape Henlopen State Park, 45th Annual Great Delaware Kite Festival, Good Friday, March 29th, Cape Henlopen State Park, No Advance Registration, Delaware Beaches
The 45th Annual Great Delaware Kite Festival is dedicated in memory of former Lt. Governor, Gene Bookhammer, who founded the event 45 years ago when he was asked by Governor Peterson to participate in a kite flying contest with a Maharajah from Bharatpur, India. Mr. Bookhammer passed away on February 23rd at the age of 94. Over the years, he continued to attend the festival as a spectator and for the past 24 years has sponsored the Best All Around award plaque named in his honor. At the conclusion of this year’s festival, Mr. Bookhammer’s family will be in attendance to present the Bookhammer award.
The festival is co-sponsored by the Lewes Chamber of Commerce and the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation. It will take place at Cape Henlopen State Park on Good Friday, March 29th.
There is no entry fee for competitors. The competitions are in 3 age categories: Children-Up to age 12; Teens-13-17, and Adults-18 & older.
Within each category, kite flyers are judged by the type of kite they are flying: homemade or store-bought.
The Special Class awards include the Open Individual Ballet (free flight performance accompanied by music which the entrant provides), Individual Precision (compulsory figures including “The Square”, “The Mount”, and “Ladder Down” judged on technical execution), Most Senior Flyer, Youngest Flyer, Flyer Furthest From Home, Smallest Kite and Largest Kite.
The Highest Kite Award category is open to all ages and takes place approximately at 12:15 p.m. There is no charge to watch. Entrance fees apply for cars to enter Cape Henlopen State Park which will be collected at the entrance to the park. $4 per car for Delaware license tags and $8 per car for out-of-state tags. The Jolly Trolley will transport spectators to the competition field from the state park’s beach parking lot and handicap parking is available at the Seaside Nature Center parking lot.
Want to participate but do not have or have not made a kite? Kids’ Ketch and Rehoboth Toy & Kite Company will be on-site selling a wide variety of kites with amply space adjacent to the competition field to practice in advance of the competitions which begin at 10:00 a.m.
There will be food vendors, a face painter and community organizations set up surrounding the field.
There is no advance registration. Entrants can register on the field beginning at 9 a.m. and throughout the morning on Friday, March 29th.
The Children’s and Teen’s competitions take place from 10 a.m. to Noon, followed by the awards ceremony for the morning competitions.
Miss Cape Henlopen, Rebecca Lust, will present the morning awards.
The Highest Kite Competition begins immediately after the morning awards ceremony at approximately 12:15 p.m. The Adult Competitions, Open Individual Ballet and Individual Precision Competition follow in the afternoon. The awards ceremony for the afternoon competitions conclude the day’s activities.
Note: Times may vary according to weather conditions and the number of competitors.
Have a great time!!
At Cape Henlopen State Park
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