Weifang International Kite Festival
Why visiting China? Some are allured by the almost endless array of natural spots in China while others its diverse cultures and rich historical heritage. Or both. Among rich traditional Chinese culture and art, Chinese kite is a special one. It’s not only a living Chinese art, but also a folkloric activity in China from Tang Dynasty accordingly.
When it comes to kites, the first thing that comes to mind is the Weifang International Kite Festival. Weifang is said to be the birthplace of kites in China. Weifang boasts a kite-making history of more than 500 years, and is known as one of China’s three major kite-making factions, together with Beijing and Tianjin. Weifang kites have varied and abundant designed themes, most of which take roots in local folklife.
People believe that China was the first home to kites. Over 2000 years ago during the Spring and Autumn Period, the kite was created and later reached its heyday during the Ming Dynasty.
If you are interested in Chinese kite culture, Weifang should be on your bucket list when touring China. And if you are traveling to Weifang for any other reason, it would also be great to explore its kite art. It would also be great fun for those traveling to China with kids to make Chinese kites and fly kites together.
When is Weifang International Kite Festival Held?
The Weifang International Kite Festival is an annual kite-flying festival taking place during the springtime every year in Weifang, East China’s Shandong Province. Being the biggest kite culture fair in the world, it’s usually held on the third Saturday in April and lasts about half a month.
As spring winds hit Weifang, kite enthusiasts throughout the world come all the way to Weifang to celebrate the International Kite Festival. At that time, the sky of Weifang’s Binhai kite-flying field is filled with multicolored kites, all of which are originally designed and all about imagination.
Don’t miss the grand Opening Ceremony (It was set on the third Saturday of April since 2012), when the first batches of kites will take off. Other fantastic activities include the World Kite Championship, kite-flying competition, kite creation competition, kite-flying performances, music festival, displays of fireworks, and so on.
When is Weifang International Kite Festival 2024?
The 41th Weifang International Kite Festival is scheduled to open on April 20th (Saturday) this year.
What to Do During Weifang International Kite Festival
1. Join the Opening Ceremony of Weifang Kite Festival
On the opening day of the annual Weifang International Kite Festival, regular tourists can immerse themselves in the exciting atmosphere by joining hundreds of kite-flying hobbyists to fly kites. Other activities and competitions on that day vary from year to year. The price of the opening ceremony varies each year, usually CNY 100-300.
2. Visit Weifang World Kite Museum (潍坊世界风筝博物馆)
Opened in 1989, Weifang World Kite Museum is the first and largest kite art specialized museum in China. Covering an area of 8,100 square meters, it offers 7 exhibition halls with over 1,300 kite treasures, 1 multi-function hall, and 1 folk art experience room for tourists to experience kite making. Read more>>
Location: 66 Xingzheng Street, Kuiwen District, in Weifang downtown (潍坊市奎文区行政街66号)
Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00, closed on Monday
Ticket Price: Free
3. Make a Kite in Yangjiabu Folk Culture Village (杨家埠民间艺术大观园)
Yangjiabu Folk Culture Village is the former Yangjiabu Kite Making Factory first built in 1986. Now it’s not only the largest kite making factory in China and an important place producing New Year pictures, but also a scenic spot with kite museum, woodcut Chinese New Year picture museum, folk culture gallery, Ming and Qing dynasties street, etc., If you visit Weifang, Yangjiabu Folk Culture Village is an ideal place to experience local history and traditional Chinese folk art and make a kite or a woodcut Chinese New Year painting of your own. Read more>>
Location: Yangjiabu Village, Hanting District, about 16km, 40 minutes’ drive from Weifang downtown (潍坊市寒亭区西杨家埠村)
Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00
Ticket Price: CNY 60
Where is Weifang International Kite Festival Held?
The Weifang International Kite Festival is usually held at Binhai International Kite Flying Field (滨海国际风筝放飞场) in Weifang Binhai Economic & Technological Development Zone (潍坊海滨经济技术开发区) in the north of Weifang City. Weifang Binhai International Kite Flying Field covers an area of over 600 mu (over 400000 square meters), which is currently the largest kite flying field in the world.
The Weifang International Kite Festival was held at Fuyanshan International Kite Flying Field (浮烟山国际风筝放飞场) from 1992 to 2015. Now Fuyanshan Kite Flying Field becomes a sub-venue of the Weifang kite festival. Fuyanshan International Kite Flying Field is situated at the Fuyanshan Mountain Forest Park, southwest of Weifang City.
How to get to Binhai International Kite Flying Field:
How to get to Weifang from other destinations in China:
You can take a high-speed train to Weifang from Beijing (3-3.5h), Tianjin (2.5-3.5h), Qingdao (45min-1.5h), Jinan (50min-1.5h), Qufu (2-2.5h), Shanghai (over 5h), etc.
History of Weifang International Kite Festival
The first Weifang International Kite Festival kicked off on April 1st, 1984 with the help of the Chairman of the Seattle Kite Association, David Checkley, and strong support of the Shandong Province Tourism Bureau and. A total of 185 people of 18 kite groups from 11 countries and regions (including the United States, Japan, Netherlands, Australia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, and Hong Kong) with two teams of Weifang City performed kite flying.
On April 1, 1988, the fifth Weifang International Kite Festival was held as scheduled. 21 kite teams from 14 countries and regions participated in this event. Weifang was elected and set as the "Kite Capital of the World" that day during a presidium meeting. Weifang has become world-famous and drawn global kite enthusiasts’ attention ever since.
During the sixth Weifang International Kite Festival in 1989, the "International Kite Federation" (IKF) was established by kite representatives from 16 countries and regions including China, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, etc. and decided to set up its headquarters in Weifang.
