On a kite schedule

Carrigaline will be in flying form next month with the sky above the town set to be awash with colourful kites.

The Basant/Kite Flying Festival 2023 will see Carrigaline Park come alive with vibrant colours on 6 May. Basant celebrates the arrival of spring and is popular in all cultures of the Indian subcontinent. Traditionally it's harvest season and kite-flying helps release a quiet grey winter to welcome the bright season of spring.

In Ireland, Basant coincides with Beltane celebrations. The colour yellow will prevail during this festival and everyone is invited to wear yellow on the day. The family friendly event will take place from 3-6pm and will include food stalls too.

Lead organiser Amna Walayat said: “This is our second year celebrating Basant at Carrigaline Park, thanks to the generosity of Cork County Council and local businesses. If you are able, please wear yellow and join us for a picnic and an afternoon of kite flying. Basant, to me, is an invitation for us to gather with friends and fly kites to create a sense of community and evoke the sense of belonging.”

The festival is created in collaboration with Good Day Cork magazine.

Jo Dukkipati, founder of Good Day Cork said: “This festival aims to bring joy by encouraging people to share a seasonal ritual with one another. Nature has a lot to teach us about accepting all forms of diversity. I hope that this event helps everyone recognise that Ireland is a melting pot of cultures that enrich our country.”

The Pakistan Overseas Community, along with many others, will volunteer on the day of the festival.

Tomiwa Morris, media coordinator for the festival, said: “This event is the perfect way to welcome spring and is a wonderful tradition filled with colour, creativity, culture and heritage.”

Kites with thread will be available on the day for a donation of €2. It is recommended to register on Eventbrite to join the festival. For any event queries or sponsorships email amna.walyat@gmail.com.