By Kisean Joseph
Thousands of kite enthusiasts are expected to descend on Devil’s Bridge this Easter Monday as the Antigua and Barbuda International Kite Festival celebrates 21 years of keeping a beloved cultural tradition alive in the skies.
The festival, founded and led by Calvin Pilgrim, runs from 9:00 in the morning to 7:30 p.m. on April 6th, and this year comes with a special incentive: the largest family group to register on that day will walk away with a purse of $1,000.
“All you have to do is gather all your relatives together, decide what color you want to dress in; you all show up, register, and the family that has the most members at Devil’s Bridge on Easter Monday will receive a thousand dollars,” Pilgrim said.
It is the kind of community spirit that has defined the festival since its inception. Pilgrim, who has sustained the event largely through his own finances and whatever surplus remains after expenses each year, says the drive has always come from something far simpler than funding.
“My main drive is my love for kite flying and just the joy that it brings to the attendee, no matter what the age is,” he said. “When you see them looking up to the sky at a kite that big – grin on their faces — that is one of the main drivers for me continuing to do this.”
Over two decades, Pilgrim says he has made repeated efforts to secure lasting partnerships with corporate sponsors, but those relationships have rarely lasted more than a single year. Government support has also been largely absent. Despite that, the festival has grown steadily, attracting as many as 5,000 people throughout the day.
As with every successful event, a doctor will be on hand to perform surgery or place a plaster on any kite that requires invasive, reconstructive or minor attention. Howard Allen, doctor for a day will bring his expertise to Devil’s Bridge for the momentous occasion.
With a physician on board and his passion for the craft, Pilgrim remains very optimistic about the entire initiative, saying he is not troubled by the future of kite-flying in Antigua and Barbuda, describing it as something deeply woven into the fabric of the nation’s Easter culture.
“I think it’s something that’s very much ingrained in society, and I’m not worried about the continuity of it — even after I retire from doing it at some time,” he said, adding that generations of families return year after year, some still flying kites purchased at the festival half a decade ago.
This year’s event will feature food and drinks, live entertainment, a steel band, and Disney characters, making it as much a family day out as a cultural celebration. The night kite display, which closes the evening, is also expected to return.
Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for those 18 and under, and free for children.
Beyond the annual festival, Pilgrim’s organisation — CP Kites — also offers kite-building and flying workshops for schools, churches, scouts, guides, pathfinders, and other community groups. In addition, the team flies kites at Devil’s Bridge every first Sunday between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., where members of the public can learn to fly dual-line and quad-line kites or bring kites in need of repair.
Organizations interested in booking a workshop can contact Calvin Pilgrim at 732-4471.