Kite Festival to fly in 2022

THE Surf Coast Kite Festival is back this October and will support Jan Juc Preschool in funding a new nature-based play area to compliment the bush kinder’s offering for many years to come.

On October 23 at Fisherman’s Beach in Torquay, the event will be back for the first time since before the pandemic and will focus on community involvement and sustainability, as community group organisers Jan Juc Preschool look for new sponsors and suppliers for the 2022 event.

The festival will once again fundraise for the Jan Juc Preschool who are a group of dedicated parents who provide a high-quality early learning experience for more than 100 local children each year.

At the unique bush setting of Jan Juc, the dedicated group provide a warm, happy and secure environment where children can develop skills through play-based learning experiences.

The Kite Festival is said to expand on the Preschool’s values of building a strong community and nurturing an appreciation of nature and the outdoors, similar to that present at the kite festival which has generically been held annually.

“There’s plenty of excitement about the festival being back in 2022, especially after the last few years of the pandemic,” event organiser Ria Cooke said.

“I’ve been lucky enough to be on the committee and work across a number of kite festivals and it’s an event that really connects our community.

“This year thanks to a grant from the Surf Coast Shire as part of their climate emergency grants, we will focus on being carbon neutral and plastic free and will be encouraging all attendees to focus on preserving our local environment.

“The funds raised from this year’s event will be going towards a nature-based play area with its very own creek bed running through the outdoor play area of the preschool.

“The nature-based play area will certainly be a great inclusion to our bush kinder environment.”

The event is set to deliver a jam-packed program, including novelty giant kite demonstrations, kite flying zones, sales and kite making, arts and crafts, yoga, a surfing machine and plenty of live entertainment.

Food and beverage stalls are set to feature, while local businesses and organisations will run activations, story times and stalls to assist with the festivities.

People can become involved and support the community-driven event through donations of products, services, giveaways and prizes.

Jan Juc Preschool is also encouraging local clubs, groups, entertainers, singers and performers to come forward to be part of the day.

The community is also encouraged to support the event and the Jan Juc Preschool by buying a kite from Torquay Toys during the month of October, with all proceeds going towards the bush kinder.

To learn more about the event or to get involved through sponsorship and donations, contact [email protected].