International Kite Festival in Hue: a place for meeting and exchanging of Southeast Asian kite art

International Kite Festival 2023 
 (Photo: Thua Thien Hue Online)

For the first time, the Kite Festival takes place in the framework of Hue Festival consisting of the typical and traditional kites of Southeast Asian countries that converge and perform in the sky of the Hue ancient capital (Central Vietnam).

The show of Southeast Asian kites

International Kite Festival 2023 will take place from 3rd to 9th June 2023 with many engaging activities, such as kite-flying demonstrations, exhibitions and kite-making experiences. Particularly, there will be an art kite flying programme in the afternoons from 4th to 8th June at Ngo Mon Square and Thuan An Beach as a highlight of the festival. Activities with the participation of international kite clubs: Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand; domestic kite clubs including Golden Kite Restaurant Club (Nam Dinh), Phoenix Art Kite Club and Huong Duong Kite Club (Ho Chi Minh City) and with the host is a group of Hue kite artists.

Skyline Kite Team is a kite club of Thailand with 20 members active throughout the country and will represent to participate in this 2023 International Kite Festival.

Traditional Malaysian kites will display vibrant colours and sophisticated designs such as Wau Bulan – Moon kite, Wau Kucing – Cat kite, Wau Jala Budi, Wau Merak.

Representing Singapore is female artist Gadis Widiyati Riyadi with 30 years of experience in kite making, kite flying as well as organising kite creation camps in many countries around the world.

According to Mr. Huynh Tien Dat, Director of the Hue Festival Centre, this year, for the first time, the event has been expanded internationally, with the participation of countries from the ASEAN region. The international guests are well known for their kite hobby and have represented in exchanges with many countries around the world.

The festival is an opportunity to attract visitors, create a playground and an opportunity for those who love aerial art; It is an opportunity for local, domestic and international artisans to meet, exchange, learn experiences, improve expertise and introduce their country's cultural identity to the cultures of other countries in the world.

Thua Thien Hue Province holds a big hope to develop and promote the Festival into the annual event, where the meeting of many kinds of kites around the world takes place.

Excellent artist Nguyen Dang Hoang said, participating in this year’s festival, countries will bring the most typical traditional kites. Therefore, Hue will use royal kites and other traditional kites to throw on the show. He hopes that the art of flying kites will be well preserved and gradually existing in people’s daily entertainment and recreation activities.

Kite making in Hue was born at least over 300 years ago, from a simple pastime in the countryside of children, gradually developed by adults into a kite with a more complex shape. Finally, it was elevated by the nobles in Hue Citadel to "air puppetry art".

*Source: Tourism Information Technology Center
Tags: international kite festival, Hue, Southeast Asia,