Kites of Asia Family Day, Saturday, March 20, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, Independence Avenue at 6th Street, SW Washington, DC 20560. Admission is free. Celebrate the beauty and tradition of kites from across Asia.  Experience the artistry of indoor kite flying.  Make your own kite.  Learn about Tibetan kite making and culture. For more information see www.nasm.si.edu.

Kite Festival , Saturday, March 20, Noon – 5:00 pm, Gunston Hall, 10709 Gunston Road, Mason Neck VA 22079. Come fly a kite in their pastures. Write with a quill pen, see period puppet shows, sample hearth cooking, explore a modern fire truck, chat with characters from the past, purchase spring plants.  Bring a picnic or buy one there. Kites available for sale.  Admission is $10, adults; $6, for ages 6-18; $2, children 2-5 years.  $25 Family Admission. For more information call 703-550-9220 or see www.gunstonhall.org.

The Smithsonian Kite Festival, Saturday March 27, 10am – 4pm, Washington Monument, Washington DC.  This free, public event organized by The Smithsonian Associates and the National Air and Space Museum features kite displays, demonstrations and handmade kite competitions and will showcase craft in flight, beauty in the air, and the art of making kites soar. For more information see www.kitefestival.org.
The festival features three kite flying events:
Handmade Kite competition, for those who build their own kites; Hot Tricks showdown and Rokkaku Kite Challenge for teams. Be it a diamond or delta, box-kite or rokkaku, honor the art of kite making with color, creativity, and, of course, craft. The possibilities are endless, so stretch your imagination, push the limits, have fun, and be crafty! Whatever you end up creating, please make sure that in order to enter into the competition all kites must fly according to AKA specifications. See the event website for more information on contest rules.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Depending on wind and weather, this schedule is flexible.
10 a.m. - Opening Ceremony/Registration begins
10:15 a.m. - Kitemaker/Master Kitemaker Competition Begins
12 noon - KitemakerMaster Kitemaker Competition Breaks / Children’s Competition Begins
12:30 p.m. - Registration Ends
1 p.m. - Children’s Competition Ends / Children’s Award Ceremony / Kitemaker/Master Kitemaker Competition Resumes
2 p.m. - Competition is completed/Hot Tricks Showdown
3 p.m. - Rokkaku Challenge
Kitemaker/Master Kitemaker Awards Ceremony Begins