The North Babylon Chamber of Commerce will host its fifth annual “Go Fly a Kite” event on Saturday, April 26, at Overlook Beach in Babylon. The popular fundraiser, which attracts thousands from across the region, returns to its original location after last year's event was held at Robert Moses State Park.
The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a rain date of Sunday, April 27.
Due to the need to protect the park’s winged inhabitants—the piping plover—the event will return to Overlook Beach on Ocean Parkway in Babylon, according to Diana Simulcik, who is coordinating the event for the Chamber.
Held in conjunction with National Go Fly a Kite Day, the festival will feature professional kite flying by Wind Wolves Traveling Kite Show, along with a variety of entertainment, including bands, local dancers, Broadway music, and more.
Simulcik, a local schoolteacher for nearly 40 years, was on a field trip to Washington, D.C., when she was struck by the beauty of the cherry blossoms and the unexpected sight of so many kites.
“It was amazing to see so many kites,” she said, describing the event as “almost breathtaking.”
At the time, the Chamber of Commerce was looking for new fundraising ideas to make up for revenue lost during the COVID shutdown. Simulcik pitched the kite festival idea to the Town of Babylon, which supported the proposal right away.
“They went with it right away. I didn’t even have to convince them,” she said. As support grew from Suffolk County and sponsors like Mercedes-Benz, she’s been grateful for the response.
The kite festival quickly became a popular outdoor event that helped the community recover emotionally from COVID, and its growth is evident.
“It has grown over the years. We started out with maybe—I’m going to say—1,000. We’ve gone up to 16,000,” Simulcik said.
Though the event is free, the Chamber raises funds by selling kites of all types, suitable for everyone from kids to professionals.
“We can’t do this without the help of the Honor Society of North Babylon High School. About 40 students from the high school get community credit and help all day,” Simulcik said. She worked for most of her career as an economics and government teacher at the high school.
“Every year we’ve had a theme, like Bridge Over Babylon, and the kids would create their own kites,” she said. “Some of these kids never flew a kite in their life.”
Simulcik also worked with all 10 school districts in the Town of Babylon to create a STEM/STEAM program designed to maximize the festival’s educational potential. This year, the change of venue postponed those activities.
In addition to kite flying, there will be candy drops from the kites for children, and a bubble machine will create child-sized bubbles for added fun.
Simulcik is pleased the kite festival has become such a hit.
“You can’t take that smile off your face. All ages love it. People bring their blankets and make a day of it.”
For more information visit the Chamber of Commerce’s website at https://northbabylonchamber.org.