The skies of Blackheath in south east London, will come alive with kites of all shapes, sizes and colours when the Blackheath Bike and Kite Festival gets underway.
The Bike and Kite Festival will take place between 11am and 4pm each day. The event has been organised by Festival Special Events and the Kite Society on behalf of Lewisham Council. Sponsored by Transport for London, it is being held during National Bike Week.
Bike Week, the UK’s biggest mass participation cycling event, has joined up with Nokia to challenge families to get out of their cars, step away from the TV and get on their bikes. Bike Week aims to re-engage people with the benefits and enjoyment of cycling.
This weekend-long festival will have something for everyone.
With specialist commentators for each of the display arenas, entertainment over the weekend includes:
- UK mountain bike stunt display team, Team MAD, who will demonstrate death defying leaps, jumps, hops and balancing skills, using only their custom made stunt bikes throughout the weekend. Children can get in on the act with special interactive in-between show ‘skill sessions’, where they can learn tips and tricks to help them perform their own bike stunts.
- A band of cyclists and staff from the Electric Transport Shop in Camden will be arriving on the heath during the morning. Riders will be on a range of electric bikes and mopeds, demonstrating an easy, clean and green way to travel.
- ‘Try before you buy’ with the Company of Cyclists, whose aim is to promote cycling in all its varieties; leisure, sport, transport, health, happiness and the environment.
- Holland’s kite team and Belgium’s ‘Atomic’ kite team, who will be bringing a variety of inflatable kites and kite trains, from ‘champagne bottles’ to ‘air guitars’.
- A unique seven man stunt team, The Air Heads, who will display their expert air dynamic kites in an impressive routine of precision ballet.
- Team Spectrum: a father and son duo, Carl and Bryan. Carl will be flying his ‘three kites, one man’ display. Carl is one of only three people in the UK able to perform this feat.
- ‘The Flying Squad’ will give an exciting visual display flying revolution kites in a synchronised ballet, quite different from any other type of kite ballet.
- Former UK Experienced Pair Champions: Husband and wife Allan and Marilyn Pothecary, also known as Close Encounters, will be demonstrating various exhibition displays.
Specialist kite traders will be on site so that everyone will have the chance to buy and fly their very own kite.
For bike enthusiasts, experts from ‘Dr Bike’ will be on hand to offer advice and help on how to keep your bike in top condition, along with a number of other specialist bike traders.
As well as bikes and kites, there will be entertainment for young people with a special children’s fair, provided by Glendale Grounds Management and Botton’s Family Funfairs. Aimed at children under 12, the fair will be open from 11.00am to 7.00pm each day.
For information about places to stay, go to www.lewisham.gov.uk and search on ‘where to stay’. Follow the links to Visit London or the Lewisham Tourist Information Centre.
There are no parking facilities on Blackheath. Visitors should plan their journey using the Transport for London journey planner at www.tfl.gov.uk.