Austin’s Legendary Kite Festival
Spring in Austin means kites, and lots of them. The annual ABC Zilker Kite Fest is one of the most well-known events in the city and the event we use to kick off spring. If this year will be your first time in attendance, you’re in for a real treat. If you are not planning to attend, why not?
The annual Kite Fest has been a staple of the Austin festival scene since 1929. As such, it is the oldest kite festival in the country. Every year it attracts thousands of people who assemble at Zilker Park to enjoy a day of kite flying along with great food and entertainment. The festival is also an excellent way to introduce your kids to the sport and art of kite flying.
Fortunately, the festival will be around for at least 50 more years thanks to the sponsorship of ABC Home and Commercial Services. The company just signed a 50-year agreement with the Exchange Club of Austin to continue sponsoring the festival through 2067.
The festival itself is hosted by the Exchange Club of Austin, a nonprofit organization whose main goal is to help prevent child abuse. Attending the festival is your opportunity to help a very good cause just by making a very small investment. The festival is open to kite lovers of all ages; dogs are also allowed as long as they are kept on a leash and are well-behaved.
Food at the Festival
No festival in Austin would be complete without a good selection of food vendors. This year’s ABC Zilker Kite Fest has you covered if you are a foodie. At last check, there were nearly three dozen food vendors already signed up to participate including Texas Traditional Barbecue, Wholly Kebab, Schwarma Point, Crêpe Crazy, County Fair Catering, Revenge of the Pork, and Bexar Catering.
For the record, we mean no disrespect by not listing all the food vendors scheduled to participate. There are just too many to include them all here. What we can say is that there will be no shortage of great food for every palate. From barbecue to funnel cakes, from hot dogs to sourdough bread, there will be something for everyone.
Making the Best of the Food
As foodies ourselves, we truly appreciate the opportunity to go to local festivals where we can find so many kinds of foods. We have discovered the secret to making the most of it: enjoying as many flavors as possible by eating only samples.
It would be great to fill up on some legendary Texas barbecue to the point of having to loosen those jeans, but that doesn’t save enough room for anything else. So maybe split a plate of barbecue with four of your closest friends before moving onto the next vendor. Eating smaller portions of each vendor’s top choice equates to more opportunities to try different things.
It is also a good idea to pace yourself. Plan on spending the entire day enjoying the kites and the beautiful Austin weather – provided it cooperates. Start your food sampling tour slowly, opting for something light and flavorful to kick things off. You can progress through the day by trying different foods according to your order of preference, finishing off the tour at the food vendor that most excites you. That way you will have something to look forward to all day.
The ABC Zilker Kite Festival is coming on the first Sunday in March. We hope to see you there, enjoying kite flying and great food to benefit a very worthy cause.