The popular Filey Kite Festival is extending to a third day for the first time, introducing a brand-new Friday evening launch to kick off its sixth annual event.
Organised by North Yorkshire Council in partnership with the Northern Kite Group, the free coastal event runs from Friday 18th September to Sunday 20th September 2026 at Filey Brigg Country Park. The event has drawn between 8,000 and 10,000 visitors annually since launching in 2020.
This year’s addition, dubbed the “Friday Night Flight,” takes place on 18th September, featuring illuminated kites flying at dusk against the evening skyline.
The weekend programme includes giant inflatable kites, precision stunt kite demonstrations, artistic creations, and the traditional parachute teddy bear drop. Interactive features return with a dedicated “learn to fly arena,” where visitors can borrow kites and receive coaching from professional flyers. Children can also participate in on-site kite-making workshops.
“This promises to be a fantastic event with the skies above Filey Brigg filled with amazing kites,” said Cllr Simon Myers, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for culture, arts and housing. “Filey Brigg Country Park is a fantastic venue for a kite festival. Its wide-open spaces and coastal breeze create perfect flying conditions, allowing us to showcase an incredible variety of kites.”
The daytime event schedule runs from 10am to 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Timetabled displays include synchronised two-line performances by Pallas Family Flyers at 10am and 2:30pm, multi-kite flying by Graham Lockwood at 10:30am, 1pm, and 3pm, four-line routines by Team Orion at 11am and 1:30pm, and kite ballet by Skytracks at 11:30am and 2pm. The teddy bear drop takes place at 12pm and 2pm, alongside a Chinese Dragon aerial display at 12pm.
All activities remain subject to wind and general weather conditions.
