International Kite Festival
Dubai, Jan. 13th 2012 - Tamquest Entertainments is proud to present the first ever International Kite
Festival in the UAE, an annual gathering for kite lovers in the country. The much-awaited event will
showcase some of the best kite flyers from around the world with teams flying in from India (Team
Mangalore), the US Gomberg Kite Productions and Kuwait (Buhamad kite team) .
Kites of all sizes, shapes and colours will be on display at the Dubai Outlet Mall on Dubai-Alain Road
on the Friday, 13th January 2012, and over 10,000 visitors are expected to walk in from 9am onwards.
Massive theme-based kites will also don the blue skies with some even made up to look like birds and
animals. Team Mangalore India will also feature the Kathakalli - Largest kite In India - a Limca Record
Holder kite.
Patang-flying is associated with the very popular Indian festival of Makar Sakranti and is celebrated on
14th January every year. In Pakistan, Gudi-Bazi or Patang-Bazi is a popular celebratory ritual during the
Basant (spring) Festival. Gudiparan Bazi as they call it in Afghanistan also finds its famous mention in
Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner.
As is customary in these parts of the world, kite flying will accompanied by kite-fighting - a fun and
exciting competition to be held as part of the festival. A number of kite stalls will enable people to ‘Buy-
and-Fly’ instantly and kids can look forward to the Kite-building workshop between 9:30am and 11:30am.
Post the kite-flying session, kite lovers can take time out to view various kites at a special exhibition
where experts talk of kite construction, materials used and other tips. The event also boasts of a Kids
Play area, a Food Court and an entertainment corner with DJ Vimal spinning music throughout the day.
One can look forward to many cultural programs including a one-hour performance by Dubai Drums.
Tickets are reasonably priced at AED 80 for family, AED 50 for couple and AED 30 per person.
‘There are many people, young and old alike, in the UAE, who would love to fly kites but don’t know
where to buy them, and are sometimes hesitant to fly them solo’, says Managing Director of Tamquest
Entertainment, Uttam Kumar. He continues - ‘I have one goal. This festival is intended for all those like-
minded people to come together, find the kite of their choice and have fun by taking kite-flying “to new
heights”’.
Kumar explains how the festival also serves as a Launchpad for new kite teams from the UAE, who are
welcome to participate and display their creations.
