Imagine hundreds of kites in every color, shape, and size soaring skyward around the Washington Monument and you will begin to appreciate the Blossom Kite Festival. Kite fliers of all ages from across the United States and the world gather to fly handmade kites and compete for prizes during this colorful event.

The Kite Festival features a handmade kite competition for children and adults, with awards given in categories such as most artistic, most humorous and most patriotic. Other highlights include a Hot Tricks kite flying competition and the popular Rokkaku Kite battle, in which Japanese-style kites battle each other for sole command of the sky.

The original Smithsonian Kite Festival was sponsored by the Smithsonian Associates and the National Air and Space Museum. It was founded in 1967 by aviation pioneer Paul E. Garber (1899-1992).

- Blossom Kite Festival

You could bring your own kites or kids got to make a kite at an activity station... to fly on the Public Field. It was awesome! You could hear laughter behind every corner.

Seriously, Where would we be without our little bird? Fly your kite, then follow the bird!

The kite festival was free entry, like most things in Washington, DC (I know!! Don't hate us!) but, there were a few enterprising people out there trying to make a living. This gentleman was selling kites, if you didn't want to make your own in the kite tent or you didn't bring one, have no fear! He had plenty of them! And they were selling like hotcakes!

In Japan, Children’s Day is a day set aside dedicated to flying carp-shaped windsocks, like these, to celebrate this traditional event. — at The Washington Monument At National Mall

Just the beginning! In no time it would be people overload! The Kite Festival is an annual event that is a part of the festivities at the Blossom Festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC

This enterprising woman flies double-fisted. She officially gets my utmost respect. — at The Washington Monument At National Mall

Smithsonian Castle fly-about — at Smithsonian Castle

The Blossom Kite Festival was formerly known as the Smithsonian Kite Festival and, it migrated to its new name a couple of years ago. I refuse to change the name. (in my head anyway) It is wildly popular and people tend to kick off their official spring walkabouts with this event. How much more cheerful can we get with all those kites in the air? And while you may think that they are only around the Washington Monument, think again! You can walk up and down the Mall and the Tidal Basin where the Cherry Trees are, and, everywhere is littered with rogue kites flying high. It is a wonderful sight!

The bright pink tents were all vendors that were selling kite related items, including extra string, glue, plus the regular trinkets for the visitors that wanted a memento of their time in our Nation's Capital. The markets were over-plentiful.

STOP!! BRAIN TEASER AHEAD!!

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Question: If there are three apples and you take away two, how many do you have?

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Answer: If you take away two apples, then, of course, you have two.

I loved watching the experienced adults showing the kids how to fly a kite. So many hours spent bonding over the meaning of drag and lift. Eventually, there were literally hundreds and hundreds, perhaps more - in the sky. It was a most glorious sight!

Let's Fly a Kite Sing-A-Long!!! You know you want to!!!!

When they weren't flying, they were climbing — at The Washington Monument At National Mall

Dog dead tired! I'm pretty sure he is singing Day is Done in his dreams.

Til next year — at Washington Monument National Monument

Fridays are all about the #MarketFriday Challenge! Looking to take part in it? Here is how:

How to Participate:

1. Go to the market! Any market will do! Food, Clothing, Plant or Animal, if you wish. You can go to the zoo or an art auction. Anywhere or anything that you pay money for a service. I once went to a nail salon.

2.Take pictures! Be creative (or not)
3.Tell us a little bit about the market, what brought you here?
4.Post the picture(s)
5.Don’t forget to hashtag it! #MarketFriday by @dswigle
6.Drop the link to your post here so I can easily find them

It is always interesting to see the different markets around the globe! C’mon! Show me your market shots! I eagerly await them!

A flower. There must always be a flower to color my world.

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