Wildwoods International Kite Festival on the Beach

The Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority said the 40th Wildwoods International Kite Festival will begin Friday, May 22, 2026, on the beach at Rio Grande Avenue in Wildwood and inside the Wildwoods Convention Center. The free event runs through Monday, May 25, according to the Wildwoods tourism authority and event listings posted by local tourism partners. Organizers said the festival opens at noon Friday outside the convention center and serves as part of the Wildwoods’ Memorial Day weekend calendar. The event is billed as the 40th year of the festival in 2026. ### When does the festival start, and where is it being held? Friday, May 22, is the opening day, with the first events scheduled to start at noon outside the Wildwoods Convention Center. The festival site is listed as the beach at Rio Grande Avenue in Wildwood, with additional indoor programming inside the convention center. The Wildwoods tourism authority said the festival continues through Monday, May 25. Event pages published by the destination marketing group and local lodging partners describe the festival as free to spectators. ### What is planned for Friday night? A 9 p.m. illuminated night kite fly is scheduled for Friday, according to the Wildwoods tourism authority’s event page. Organizers also listed the opening of the kite sales tent and a Friday night social with a local kite club as part of the first day’s program. The Wildwoods tourism authority said the event marks the start of Memorial Day weekend programming in the shore community. The authority’s April 28 announcement called the kite festival part of the “unofficial start of summer” in the Wildwoods. ### What happens over the rest of the weekend? Saturday and Sunday will include flying of large inflatable kites, team flying and family games, according to the event listing carried by Wildwoods tourism outlets and regional event guides. Saturday also includes silent and loud auctions that are open to the public, organizers said. The beach at Rio Grande Avenue is the main outdoor site for those demonstrations. Listings published by tourism and travel sites say the festival typically runs from morning into early evening on Saturday and Sunday, though the Wildwoods tourism authority’s page is the primary source for the named activities. ### Who is organizing the event? The Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority is promoting the festival on the official Wildwoods tourism website. The authority is the umbrella tourism organization for Wildwood, North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, according to New Jersey tourism information pages. Sky Festival Productions is also referenced in festival materials as the source for additional event information. The Wildwoods tourism authority directed visitors seeking more details about the 40th annual festival to SkyFestivals.com. ### Is there an indoor event at the end of the festival? Monday, May 25, will feature the World Indoor Kite Exhibition inside the Wildwoods Convention Center, according to the Wildwoods tourism authority. That indoor program is listed as the closing-day event for the four-day festival. The convention center appears repeatedly in official and partner listings as both the Friday starting point and the Monday indoor venue. The combination of beach flying and indoor exhibition has been presented as the festival’s basic format in 2026 event materials. ### Where can visitors check details before going? Wildwoodsnj.com lists the festival on its events calendar and posted an April 28 announcement with dates, location and headline activities. SkyFestivals.com is named by organizers for additional festival information, while local tourism partners have mirrored the same May 22-25 schedule and Rio Grande Avenue location. Monday, May 25, is the next dated milestone on the schedule, when the World Indoor Kite Exhibition is set to close out the 40th annual event at the Wildwoods Convention Center.