Discovering Paradise
Discovering Paradise
An Easter Monday sky full of handmade kites
Type
Cultural
When
March – April
Duration
1 day
Location
Willikies
Cost
A modest admission is typically charged at the gate; children often enter free or at reduced rates. Bring cash for food vendors.
Frequency
Annual
Attendance
Hundreds of families and kite enthusiasts
Family Friendly
Yes
First Held
Modern festival in the early 2000s; the kite-flying tradition is far older
Local Name
Easter kite flying
Best Arrival
Arrive mid-morning, when the trade winds are up and the first kites take to the sky.
What to Wear
Light clothing, a secure sun hat, and sturdy shoes for the exposed, breezy headland.
Flying a kite at Easter is one of Antigua and Barbuda's most cherished folk traditions, and the Antigua and Barbuda International Kite Festival is its modern showcase. Held each Easter Monday, the festival gathers families, schoolchildren, and serious kite-makers at the dramatic Atlantic headland of Devil's Bridge in the island's east.
The timing is no accident. Easter falls during the breeziest stretch of the dry season, when reliable trade winds sweep in off the Atlantic and lift hundreds of kites at once. The result is a sky filled with colour: handmade tissue-and-frame kites alongside elaborate competition designs, with prizes for craftsmanship and flying skill.
The event is run by a local non-profit dedicated to keeping the kite-flying tradition alive, and it has grown into a day-long, family-friendly gathering with music, food vendors, and a relaxed, communal feel. Gates typically open in the morning and the flying continues into the late afternoon as the wind holds.
Because Easter Monday is a public holiday, the festival pairs naturally with a wider day out on the east coast. Many visitors combine it with a walk along the rugged limestone arch of Devil's Bridge and a stop at nearby Atlantic beaches such as Long Bay Beach.
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When
Easter Monday each year (late March or April; date moves with Easter)
Duration: 1 day
Location
Devil's Bridge National Park, Willikies
East Coast
Cost
A modest admission is typically charged at the gate; children often enter free or at reduced rates. Bring cash for food vendors.
This event is in
Long Bay & the East →