Zilker Park Kite Festival

I’ve been a couple of times. It’s pretty cool to see all the kites in the air. I suggest you take a blanket and go out to zilker and just chill. Fly one if you like, but mostly just go to see the spectacle. It’s pretty cool. Families are out there. Some really cool looking kites too. It’s just a neat atmosphere to be part of.

Lately it seems like having the Kite Festival ensures bad weather. The first year I went the weather was scorching but, last year it was rescheduled due to rain and then canceled. This year they braved on even though it was freezing and raining!
Of course we were determined to go since we had a brunch and plans to go after! There were very few people and this allowed us to park and go to Zilker area instead of going to the dog park area to avoid traffic like I did the first year!
The food trucks were there and HEB was there helping to make kites with people who didn’t bring one. I was one of those who didn’t bring one and it was nice to have the option to make a cheap kite, decorate it and fly it! I have to say the kites weren’t that bad and mine flew amazingly!
I think the bad weather and the wind actually made the kite flying better and less people just meant more space to fly your kite! Although my friends and I got tangled a few times but, my kite survived! I took it home and will probably fly it again one day!
I love Austin for all of these fun events they have even if it was cold and rainy I braved it to attend something simply Austin! Better luck with the weather next year but, I won’t hold my breath!

Let’s go fly a kite, up above the Austin skyline, Oh let’s go fly a kite!
It’s hard to write a review when this year’s kite festival was on a drizzly, freezing, gray day. I still went, as this is the oldest kite festival still running in the U.S. For the brave few that ventured out, it was still a fun day to be bundled up and walk around, definitely less people to manage around. There is just something pretty about seeing all the kites floating lazily in the air with the beautiful Austin skyline in the background. This year I especially loved the hot coffee drinks from Wanderlust.
It’s just a family fun relaxed event, with some crowd management skills involved most years. You can walk around and enjoy the food from local vendors, and celebrate the beginning of spring, or the spring that is yet to be (as was the case this year).

I love the kite festival, I’m so disappointed that they didn’t use the rain date this year! It was freezing and raining all day! Maybe next year they can schedule it a little later in March? We usually come for the day, set up a blanket and fly a kite, each snacks, play games, etc. The people watching here is primo and everybody always seems really happy unless it’s crazy crowded. If you are not a crowd person, I would recommend arriving at 10am, when it begins, playing for awhile and having lunch, as it usually only starts getting really crowded about 12−1ish. I will up my star rating if we are able to attend next year! Hope for better weather!

I’ve never had a bad time at the kite fest. I always like to arrive very early and get a good spot. I think its a good idea to bring a few extra kites and invite as many friends as possible.
Technically there is no drinking in the park, its however usually ok to sneak in some beer or maybe walk over to one of the restaurants near the park to kick back a few before letting our your inner child and playing with a kite.
The kite contests are awesome, you can always see someone trying to fly huge dragon kites and honestly the more people that come out the better.
I will say that it has gotten very crowded in the last few years which is why it is important to either plan to stand in long lines for food or bring some food with you. I personally always try to make it a pic-​nic.
After everyone leaves the park is usually littered with old free kites! If its your thing stay a bit late and pick up, not only does it help out the park you get free kites!

although i love zilker and festivals but this is not my favorite one. never thought there was such thing as too many kites but yikes you have to watch where you walk all the time because the moment you dont a kite will come down crashing onto your head =[ also for the kite competitions i thought id see more kite tricks and more giant kites. and the park should really rent out one of those trailer bathrooms verses porta pottys =[

Iv gone here 2 years in a row and I do like it but they need real bathrooms porta potties r nasty! N hard for little kids to pee! They also need to have cheaper tickets n food

Zilker Kite Festival is my favorite Austin event all year. The planners must have some agreement with whoever controls the weather because it is always a gloriously beautiful day, officially welcoming spring weather to town. The wind is less predictable, but in my four years attending, I have always been able to get my kite up at least for a while.
So here is the deal if you have never been.
The event itself is free. If you want to park inside Zilker, you will wait in stupid long lines on both sides of Mopac’s access roads to then pay for close-​ish parking. Or you can park for free in nearby areas, such as the Barton Skyway area or downtown, and walk to the park. We always end up parking 30 minutes away, but it’s free and the perfect weather for a walk. Whatever this means to you – a car ahead of us by a few cars at a far-​away stop light (we went into the Barton Skyway neighborhood, the other car went north on the access road toward Zilker) was still waiting in line to enter Zilker’s parking lot when we walked by. At that point, we were both probably 10 more minutes (walking) away from the festival. We might have beaten the car waiting to park, but I don’t know. I’m not sure either way is quicker, it just depends on how you want to spend your time.
The food trucks and booths are not free and the lines get insane as the afternoon goes on. I strongly suggest BYOF. There are also paid kid activities, like bounce houses and rock climbing walls. No idea what these cost, I’m too busy attempting to fly my $ 3 Walgreens kite.
Also, bring your chairs, picnic blanket, etc., and camp out for the afternoon. It will be crowded, but it will also be magical to see all the whimsical kites flying against the Austin skyline.
They have tons of portapotties that have thankfully been clean enough and without lines to complain.
In addition to food/​drink, sunscreen and something on which to sit, also bring your friendly dogs and your patience and good humor. Your kite will get tangled up high in the sky with other kites. It might even get stuck in a tree. Someone else’s kite will come crashing into your head while you sip sangria – I mean Snapple – and there will be string everywhere as you and other kite flyers recover downed kites.
But don’t worry about the crowds or the string or the parking. Just set out for a wonderfully affordable adventure and soak in the unique whimsy the kite festival offers each spring.

Come here if:
1. You want to see a beautiful blue sky decorated with a barrage of kites of all different shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors.
2. You enjoy picnicking, people watching, and sunbathing.
3. You love seeing an eclectic congregation of young people and old people and old people acting like young people.
4. You need excuses to talk to other. «Oh, I’m sorry. It looks like my kite got tangled in yours. Heehee!»
It’s so simple– just a group of people with a piece of string and a flat piece of plastic propelled by the wind. It’s so genius and so beautiful.
It’s a hot, crazy mess (and yes, the good kind). It’s a fun and wacky festival. Kite festival commands that you come and laugh and be happy in the lovely Texas presummer weather!

The Zilker Park Kite Festival is one of those Austin traditions everyone must experience if you live here. Flying kite is one of the most simple pleasures in one’s life in my opinion. So I went to Terra Toys and I bought a Snowy Owl kite. I must say it was one of the most beautiful kites ever. It was somewhat pricey but I thought it was worth it. I arrive early to get a good spot and there weren’t many people yet. I see people with their cute kites and I was annoyed by those kites that look like skydiving parachutes. Of course those people think they have the alpha male kites. Those people that own those kites try to outfly the other kites. I bumped into great people. A family was able to get my kite out of a tree which I thanked them truly. I feel that there needs to be a couple of changes to this event.
1. Please have a team on standby to get those kites out of the tree. Nothing ruins the festival experience than having your kite stuck on a tree and not being able to get it down. Unfortunately my kite ended up in a tree and is probably still stuck there as I am typing this review.
2. It gets crowded. It’s almost like ACL level crowds except there are no stages. My suggestion is that the Kite Festival spreads out to all parks in Austin. Also it prevents running into people’s string and kites when you are walking around the place.
Would I come back to this event… well maybe. I’m on the fence about this. But I’m glad I went to experience it. Maybe I should just fly my kite without a kite festival.

If you don’t like crowds, if you don’t like kids, if you don’t like exercise, if you don’t like sun and wind and congregating with tons of strangers, then get outta my way, stay out of the area and don’t bother writing a review.
If you haven’t been to this festival then here’s what you need to know:
First of all — the pictures on here (so far) don’t do it justice. You have to see the sky swimming with whimsy, hundreds upon hundreds of kites whipping and floating and… it really is something you cannot look at without cracking a childhood smile. One of the best views you can get is in the morning, right when the festival kicks off… drive over the lake on Mopac and just look to the right (you’ll need to be in that lane anyway to follow my survival guide plan for the day — Exit Cesar Chavez). With our gorgeous downtown skyline in the background, the lake adjacent and a sky speckled with kites — it’s one of the most endearing moments I’ve had in this city and I look forward to it every year.
Survival guide:
Do not try to exit Barton Springs from Mopac and DO NOT think you’re going to drive through or park there. Unless you’re arriving somewhere around a gazillion silly o’clock in the morning. The intersection of Barton Springs and Lamar is going to be slow and congested, which means that from there to Lamar and 5^th will also be a bit clogged. Just take your time.
Do not wear any type of shoes that are not comfortable or could possibly give you blisters. I went in flip flops this time and died of blisters. Tennis shoes are the way to go.
Plan to park as FAR away as you’re willing /​capable of walking and plan to NOT let road rage /​parking rage take you over while you scour for a spot.
Here’s what I do and it makes for an extremely wonderful day: I go downtown, yes… downtown. Think West 6^th, 5^th, 4^th, etc. I find a spot there, I bust out the jogging stroller, I take it INTO A RESTAURANT like an excessive yuppie mom, I have a great brunch with friends, then we hit the trail and hike ALL THE WAY to Zilker. The kid usually naps while we do so and wakes up to a sky full of magic. If you don’t have a kite (I’ve been a numb skull and shown up without one) you can find a tent that sells them for pretty reasonable prices.
The lines are going to be long — get over it there are thousands of people enjoying this day. So just be prepared for it and accept it before you go so that you can relax and soak in some happiness.
Wear sunblock /​bring a hat. Sometimes it’s raining and cold in March in Texas, sometimes it’s 95 degrees. Sometimes it’s one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, so just be prepared.
You’ll probably lose a kite, get hit by a kite, hit someone with a kite, snag your foot on a fallen kite string… it’s part of the fun. Don’t be that person who is constantly annoyed. Just smile and be gracious and help everyone bring home good memories of this event. Also, just watch out, wear sunglasses to protect your eye balls, keep an eye on your children and be prepared to navigate the crowd gracefully.
Many people bring coolers and chairs and prop up in corners of the park — go for it. There are zillions of food trailers which I completely appreciate — but the line will be an hour pretty much no matter what. There’re are always ATM tents if you forget cash, and some places accept cards.
You’re going to love and enjoy this and walk away with great memories if you are prepared, if you’re patient and if you commit to utilizing your whole day to experience this in its fullest.
I can’t wait until next year!
Also, on a side note, for those who exercise and use the trails on this day — It’s incredibly crowded on the trail along Zilker, from the park all the way to Lamar, full of pedestrians who are just mulling along on their way to and from the festival… so if you’re out there to burn your calories, this part of the trail might be one to avoid during the peak hours. Just a suggestion.

Here’s how the toddler and I enjoyed this year’s festival:
Packed a picnic, diaper bag, large blanket and binoculars at 9am.
Got to the Colorado garage at 10am. Had $ 2 ready for the shuttle for myself. Toddler rode free.
Got on the shuttle at 10:10am, arrived at the festival hassle-​free. No wait in traffic, just straight into the festival.
Set down our blanket in various spots around the park to watch the kites and fly ours, eat lunch, take mini-​naps in the sunshine. Half-​regretted bringing our lunch, I didn’t realize they’d have so many vendors selling yum-​sounding food. But at least no wait in any of those lines.
Got in line for the shuttle to leave the park at 1:30, waited in line 10 minutes, back to the garage and home.
All in all, we waited 20 minutes. For someone who detests festivals and being in crowds, this was surprisingly tolerable and dare I say… fun?

I love going to the kite festival! It’s definitely crowded and you had better always be on the look out for a stray kite hitting you in the head, but it’s a great excuse to get out of the house :)

We walked from my mom’s office near Mopac and 2244, so we didn’t have to fight parking or anything of that nature. When we arrived at Zilker Park, it was a sea of people. Now don’t get me wrong, I love festivals in Austin and it was an especially beautiful day, but it was just way too many people for me to handle. It was as if every single person in the city decided to go to the Zilker Park at that very same time. I’ve been going for years, as my employer is a sponsor and I’ve gone as a volunteer, but this year felt like the most people I’ve ever seen.
I have a friend who has an obsession with fair corn dogs, so we waited in line for about 30 minutes to get one and I got some lo mein and tacos from another vendor. There were tons of miscellaneous food vendors, but regardless, the lines were still long. After getting food and finding a spot to lay down a blanket and soak up the sun, I was attacked by a Sponge Bob kite from a nearby child. Which makes me think –if I were a parent, this would be a nightmare for me and I would probably just take my kids to fly a kite at another park.
Next time I will bring more than 1 bottle of wine and pack a picnic. And get there earlier so as to enjoy more sunshine before heading off to drink somewhere else for Sunday funday.

We took the shuttle from the Berger stadium, which while yes the lines were long, parking elsewhere did not seem smart. We were also smart in bringing a picnic lunch. We didn’t get anywhere near the lines for the food until we were getting back in line to get back to the Berger stadium.
It was a wonderful day spent relaxing with a friend…

Any FREE thing going on in Austin these days is going to be packed, ESPECIALLY something as awesome as the Annual Kite Fest.
Come in knowing 3 things.
1.It will be crowded.
2.Lines will be long.
3.Kite will most likely get brought down by a Sponge Bob or Hello Kitty kite.
Keeping those things in mind, and understand they will happen and you will have a WAY better time!
This year I opted to take the shuttle from Burger Center (perfect location as I live 2 mins from here) This was the best choice I ever made. Kids under 12 rode free, and adults were 2 bucks each. So for 4 dollars myself and the fam, all 4 of us got on the bus. We got to Burger around 11, boarded around 11:20 and by 11:40 we were at the park, right in the middle of the action. The shuttle drop off was perfect.
We sat up camp around that area and it took me longer to put my kite together then it flew, but hey, it was fun. The kids had a blast and that’s what mattered. I can’t comment on the food lines as we brought snacks and a cooler.
Come 3ish we decide its way too crowded and the kids are done, so we decide to get in line for the shuttle. They had 2 lines, one for Burger and one for the Northern/​downtown drops. No lie both looked like a line at Fiesta Texas, they just went on and on and on. It took us 5 mins just to find the end of it. With that many people I would have figured a 2 hour wait, to my surprise it was about 40 – 45 mins. Not bad at all, would have taken us longer to walk to the car if we had driven down. Well worth the 4 bucks and hour or so wait all together for the shuttles.
Every year this Austin tradition seems to grow and grow, the crowd is covering more and more area. To me all that means is folks who haven’t partook in the fun need to do so ASAP before it gets even bigger, this is an Austin MUST, don’t call your self an Austinite, or try and be one, if you haven’t done the kite fest!
PS: The guy with cutting string, you are a douche, just an FYI

Too busy to slog through the one-​, two– and three-​star reviews of the Zilker Park Kite Festival?
I’ve taken a cue from The The Reader’s Digest Condensed Books series and offered up a hater-​roundup. Enjoy!
from JA (one star):
«I’d give it five stars if I could just fly my kite alone.»
from Damien T. (two stars):
«I had to walk to get there. It’s rediculous that I can’t just fly my kite from my car. I also had to wait in a line to buy food, which is rediculous. And there should be more food, too. Rediculous lack of variety. I’d never go again. Rediculous!»
from Rebecca L. (two stars):
«Dogs, babies, and Capital Metro stink, so I’m going to give a tangentially related festival a bad review. I’d be happier in my yard with my kite and my shattered dreams.»
from John S. (two stars):
«In my day, blowjobs cost a nickel. Once, Willie Nelson’s bus drove by and splashed mud on my beard. Buy me lunch at Threadgill’s and I’ll tell you all about it. Oh, and I consider myself a major a-​hole. LOL!»
from Chad S. (three stars):
«Okay, you’re on Unilocal.And Unilocal is of Help to a Whelp and Michael Phelps. Tee hee!
But seriously, folks:
1. I’m on the wagon.
2. This festival is popular
3. I chose to walk there with something heavy on my back
4. My toddler was being obnoxious, and the staff called me on it
5. I’m pissed because they sell food and I’m fasting
6. Something retarded about my childhood
7. Yep, I’m still a jerk
That said, it was fun. I didn’t know what was going on, but other people were clapping so I clapped some too.
So, my bitching aside,
1. Make another list that serves no purpose
2. Bring your own toilet
3. Bring your own food and beer, then bitch about how you can’t eat and drink the food and beer you can’t eat and drink
4. Don’t choose to walk there with something heavy on your back
5. Leave the obnoxious toddler at home
6. Eschew my review, and enjoy all the pretty kites»

I thought the Zilker Park Kite Festival was a blast!
Yes, the lines were long. The food, meh, just bring your own. The Kite contests were cute but let’s just get to the point… this is a place to hang out, work on your tan and watch the kites fly (or fly your own).
We took the shuttle in and yes, waited an hour. We brought our dog who rode the bus and the elevator like a pro.
There are tons of kids and tons of adults and dogs of every color and size. I would recommend bringing a blanket and a cooler but some packed the kitchen sink.
All in all a really fun day well spent. I won’t forget what this is… a *kite* festival. A festival for *kites*. Not a food festival. Great time had by all, can’t wait for next year!

Today’s weather created a beautiful kite festival. The sun was out. The wind kept us cool. Zilker park was a very nice scene for the multitude of kites that was in the air. There were huge kites. There were tiny kites. Ornate kites. Simple kites. But anytime the wind picked up many kites were in the air.
Parking is pretty hectic but not impossible. We spent some time getting into the area but were able to find parking relatively quickly. The walk took us only 10 minutes to get to the festivities.
The amount of food was vast, however the popular stands had lines that went way out. The amount of the more popular stands was also limited.
Word of warning for next year. This event is intended to be a family event and as such many kids are running around. I was lucky enough never to get caught in their lines. I was upset at people who would get angry at some of the young kids and start using vulgar language around them.
Next year I’m bringing a kite with my big HANDSOME face, a blanket, and some sunscreen.

Stood in line for about an hour and a half to get on a shuttle from downtown to Zilker. Stood in line some more to get a veggie taco from the Chipotle stand. Flew kite for about 30 minutes. Stood in line for about 20 more minute to get on return shuttle. Saw some cute dogs and cute babies, but even more ugly dogs and ugly babies. So basically I spent most of the festival waiting in a line. Would rather have bought kite from Wal-​mart and flown it by myself.
If you hate kids and waiting in lines, avoid this place at all cost.