Long Beach Kite Festival

We were told that thousands of people come to this yearly international kite festival, a 7 day feast for colorful kites.  Started yesterday so we decided to go see what it was all about.  Monday was a set up day for vendors (over 100) and a day of arches, kite trains, and multi-line stack kites.  No competition but a day to see how the winds and your kite react.  This is big business!  And the day's forecast was a joke - was supposed to be sunny by 11am.  Well, we got rain, more like misted, and decided by 1pm to get out of there, we were really getting wet.  Typical misty/foggy ocean weather.  But that did not stop the kiters.

Boardwalk to festival

Flying even while raining!

Parked on the south side of town near the Kite Museum and walked the boardwalk to where the activities were.  Any kind of food was available to purchase, tshirt vendors, of course kite vendors, jewelry vendors,  trinkets to purchase for just about anything a tourist would want.

Tuesday through Saturday is the real competition - kite fights in the air, stunt flying, many activities for the kids, activities for the seniors, kites that are choreographed to music, demonstrations, family stuff - definitely geared to the family which is great.  They even have an area at the local elementary school where they teach you to fly a kite indoors.  There are so many competitors that they rope off over a mile long beach here, sectioned off, where you can watch anything and everything about kites you would ever want to see.  Yesterday we saw one tent where kids where making their own kites and later saw them out flying them.  Fun to see.  Hope the weather is good for them.  And the town - slammed with people walking/crossing the streets.  We will have to be very careful tomorrow when we drive through the town on our way out.

Arches and Trains - just setting up - fly all day long

We were so exhausted with the 4 hours outside that when we got back to the RV we collapsed and took power naps.  Can't imagine what the next 6 days will be like for those folks - supposed to be record high temps (mid 70's) the rest of the week and blaring sunny days.  But we will walk from our beach down to get a bit closer later today - just way too many people for us.  To learn more about this festival -     www.kitefestival.com

We are in clean-up mode today, laundry, vacuum, put away stuff, we will close down in the morning and drive down the Oregon coast about 160 miles to Heceta, a small town located on the coast.  A couple miles from the Sea Lion Caves - a noted place to come watch them up close.  We will say goodbye to the State of Washington, has been a great 2 months traveling from Clarkston to Packwood to Sequim and finally to Long Beach.  Met some great couples (Ron and Carol, Russell and Suzee).  Absolutely loved our time in this state - will miss the green lush fauna especially!  Definitely the "Evergreen State" as their license says.