Festival International des Cerfs-Volants — Kite Festival

The 23rd International Kite Festival is running in Marines, a town in Val-d’Oise northwest of Paris, from May 20 through May 24, 2026, according to Sortiraparis. The listing says the event brings exhibitions, aerial demonstrations and kite-making workshops to the town over five days. Sortiraparis included the festival in its May 18–24 weekly picks for Paris and the wider Île-de-France region. (sortiraparis.com) The event is presented as a free outdoor attraction for families and day-trippers looking beyond central Paris. ### Where is this kite festival actually taking place? Marines, not central Paris, is the host town for this year’s festival, according to Sortiraparis. The publication located the event in Val-d’Oise, one of the departments that make up the Île-de-France region. (sortiraparis.com) The May 18–24 events guide from Sortiraparis lists the festival among the week’s regional outings rather than as a Paris city-center event. That places it in the broader orbit of spring leisure programming marketed to readers searching for activities across Île-de-France. ### What is on the program between May 20 and May 24? Sortiraparis said the festival combines exhibitions, “spectacular demonstrations,” and workshops where visitors can make their own kites. (sortiraparis.com) The article describing the event says the program is designed for both children and adults. Les Dragons du Ciel, the association named by Sortiraparis as organizer, is inviting visitors to “lift their eyes to the clouds” during the May 20–24 run. (sortiraparis.com) That description appears in both the English- and French-language versions of the listing published by the outlet. ### Why is it showing up in this week’s Paris-area events coverage? (sortiraparis.com) Sortiraparis highlighted the International Kite Festival in its weekly guide to things to do from May 18 to May 24, 2026. The same guide grouped it with other seasonal draws including museum events, sports programming and family outings across the region. The publication also repeated the festival in a separate Pentecost weekend roundup covering May 22 to May 25. (sortiraparis.com) That placement signals that the main visitor push falls during the holiday weekend, when many readers are planning outdoor trips. ### Is this a one-day fair or a larger recurring event? (sortiraparis.com) The 2026 edition is the 23rd, Sortiraparis said, indicating the festival is an established annual event rather than a one-off program. The listing describes it as an international kite festival, with the emphasis on large-scale public displays and participatory workshops. Five days of programming also set it apart from a single afternoon fair. (sortiraparis.com) The May 20 opening and May 24 closing dates give visitors several chances to attend, including over the weekend. ### What should visitors check before going? Sortiraparis is the clearest published source for the current dates and the basic program. (sortiraparis.com) Its event page for Marines carries the festival description, while its weekly guide for May 18–24 places the event in the broader calendar of Paris-region outings. May 23 and May 24 are the key remaining weekend dates in the festival’s published run. Visitors looking for final timing, location details in Marines, or any last-minute changes would need to consult the event page and weekly listing before traveling. (sortiraparis.com)