Cork's in kite flying form for the weekend

Carrigaline is praying for a bit of wind this weekend ahead of this year’s annual Basant Kite Flying Festival.

From Friday to Sunday, the skies above the town and beyond will once again come alive with the vibrant colours of South Asia.

This year, the popular festival will stretch across both Cork county and city, offering an expanded programme which aims to reflect Ireland’s rich and growing cultural diversity.

Visitors to Carrigaline can enjoy some kite flying, kite-making workshops, traditional South Asian attire showcases, lively dance performances, live Punjabi drumming (Dhol), art displays, food stalls, and the much-loved Mango Party, a very popular highlight of the festival.

Surrounding events include a screening of the popular Pakistani film ‘Legend of Maula Jatt’ at Triskel Arts Centre in Cork city, and a travelling exhibition of South Asian art in Ireland opening at Carrigaline Library and running until 18 July before continuing at Cork City Library from 22 July until 22 August. Featured artists include Iqra Iqbal, Hina Khan, Aditya Labhe, Antonio D'Souza, and Amna Walayat, who is also the festival’s founder and artistic director.

Having begun as a small, one-day community gathering, the festival has grown into a major cultural event, rooted in the centuries-old South Asian tradition of Basant, a springtime festival that fills the skies with vibrant kites and honours the spirit of renewal and joy.

The festival is supported by the Arts Council, Cork County Council, Creative Ireland, Sample Studios, Rethink Ireland, Community Foundation Ireland, and local partners including Triskel Arts Centre and Cork City Library.