Colorful Kites Fill Long Beach Skyline at Annual Bangladeshi Festival

The Pacific Kite Club of California hosted its 13th annual Long Beach Kite Festival on Rosie’s Dog Beach, drawing hundreds of flyers to honor the centuries-old Bangladeshi Shakrain celebration. The six-hour program featured a vivid array of kites, including a massive octopus, a witch on a broomstick, a spider, a rocketship and a shark. Regular attendees Greg Morrison and Jimmy Westby described the event as a family tradition, noting the variety of homemade and themed kites.

Children received 500 complimentary kites and 300 backpacks on a first-come, first-served basis. The festival also offered games, art contests, an awards ceremony, live Bangladeshi music, cultural dances, food stalls and local vendors. The Pacific Kite Club, a grassroots nonprofit, uses kite festivals to promote community bonding and environmental stewardship through beach cleanups and outreach programs.