Orlando Kite Festival taking STEM, the arts and community to new heights
Organizer Celina Dozier joins WESH 2 to preview the free, family-friendly event returning to the historic Parramore District Saturday, April 11 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
WELCOME BACK. IT’S 914, AN EVENT WHERE EDUCATION, ARTS AND COMMUNITY CROSS PATHS IS GETTING READY TO TAKE FLIGHT RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE ORLANDO KITE FESTIVAL IS COMING BACK TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT. AND JOINING ME NOW TO TELL US AND HELP EXTEND THE INVITATION IS EVENT ORGANIZER DOCTOR SELINA DOZIER. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. GOOD MORNING. FIRST OF ALL, I LOVE THE LOGO BACK HERE. IT REALLY GIVES A NICE LITTLE SLICE OF THE COLOR. YES. AND THE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE AROUND AN EVENT LIKE THIS. THE BEAUTY. YES. WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF THE VIDEO THERE, BUT IF SOMEONE IS UNFAMILIAR, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THIS KITE FESTIVAL? WHAT IS IT? THE KITE FESTIVAL IS HONESTLY JUST PURE JOY. IT’S FUN. IT’S BEAUTY. AS I MENTIONED, IT’S FAMILIES COMING OUT ENJOYING THEMSELVES, DOING AN ACTIVITY THAT WE MAYBE HAVEN’T DONE IN A REALLY LONG TIME. FLYING KITES. JUST SIMPLE, PURE FUN. IT’S LIKE AN ACTIVITY OF YESTERYEAR FOR SURE. WE’RE BRINGING IT BACK. HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN DOING THE. THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR COMING UP, AND I’M SO THANKFUL BECAUSE OUR FIRST YEAR WE HAD 900 PEOPLE TO COME. SO FOR OUR FIRST YEAR EVENT, THAT’S PRETTY GOOD. ABSOLUTELY. PROOF THAT PEOPLE WANT TO FLY KITES. THAT’S ORLO VISTA EVENT GROWN SINCE THEN. SO LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 1200 PEOPLE. THIS YEAR WE’RE EXPECTING 3000. I’M GETTING NOTIFICATIONS ALL THE TIME THAT PEOPLE ARE BUYING TICKETS. I’M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL. OKAY. AND THERE ARE SOME FREEBIES AND GIVEAWAYS THAT WE’RE GOING TO GET TO IN JUST A SECOND. BUT BEFORE WE DO, THERE IS THERE’S AN UNDERLYING STEM COMPONENT TO THIS KITE FESTIVAL THAT I WANT TO CHAT WITH YOU ABOUT FOR SURE. SO I’M A PROFESSOR AT UCF, I TEACH ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING. AND FOR ME, THIS KITE FESTIVAL IS A WAY TO INTRODUCE AND EXPOSE CHILDREN TO STEM. THE REASON THAT WE LOVE KITE SO MUCH IS BECAUSE OF SCIENCE. SO USING THAT FUN AND UNIQUE WAY TO INTRODUCE CHILDREN TO STEM, THIS IS WHAT WE DO, I LOVE THAT. SO WHAT IS THE IDEAL AGE RANGE OF KIDS WHO WILL REALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS? SO WE USUALLY GET CHILDREN AROUND TODDLER AGE, WHICH IS PRETTY FUN. WE STARTED THE FESTIVAL BECAUSE OF MY SON WHEN HE WAS TWO YEARS OH NO KIDDING. YES. SO TODDLER AGE, PRESCHOOL, ELEMENTARY AGE. ONCE THEY GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY’RE MAYBE, YOU KNOW MORE INTO IT AS WELL, BUT THEY’RE LIKE TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL. SO I GOTCHA. BUT I MEAN, WHAT’S FANTASTIC IS THIS REALLY APPEALS TO KIDS AT EVERY AGE LEVEL, EVERY AGE TWO, AND CAN’T NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, CAPTURE ALL OF THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT. YOU’RE ALWAYS HAVING FUN OUT THERE. AND BY MIDDLE SCHOOL, I MEAN YOU’D BE ABLE TO DIVE DEEP INTO SOME OF THOSE STEMS. EXACTLY. AND WHAT WE ALSO HAVE IS THE ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER COMING OUT TO DO A FEW ACTIVITIES. SO WE HAVE A DRONE CAGE THAT THE CHILDREN CAN CONTROL, SOME DRONES. WE HAVE SOME ROBOTICS FEATURES OUT THERE AS WELL. SO IT’S GOING TO BE REALLY EXCITING FOR EVERYONE. YEAH. ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF THIS IS THAT IT’S ALL FREE TOO. AND THERE ARE SOME GIVEAWAYS. SO TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD GET OUT THERE AS EARLY AS THEY CAN, GET OUT THERE AS EARLY AS YOU CAN. THE FIRST 100 CHILDREN GET A FREE KITE THAT THEY GET TO DECORATE AND BUILD. WE HAVE SOME HELPERS AND VOLUNTEERS OUT THERE HELPING THE CHILDREN TO TO BUILD THEIR KITES, AND THEY GO OUT AND FLY THEM. WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO YOU TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO CENTRAL? YEAH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS FESTIVAL BEGAN BECAUSE OF MY SON. SO AGAIN, HE WAS TWO YEARS OLD WHEN I HAD THIS IDEA. AND I SAID, WHAT’S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN’T DONE? AND I THINK THAT HE WOULD ENJOY KITES CAME TO MIND. AND BECAUSE I AM THE WAY THAT I AM, WHICH IS WHAT THEY CALL EXTRA, I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE’RE NOT JUST GOING TO GO TO THE STORE AND FLY KITES AND BUY KITE. WE’RE GOING TO DO A FESTIVAL AND INVITE THE ENTIRE CITY OF ORLANDO. AND WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT KITES IS THAT IT TAKES US OUTSIDE, AWAY FROM SCREENS. RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE’RE ALL IN THE TECHNOLOGY AND LOOKING AT SOCIAL MEDIA. LET’S COME OUTSIDE AND ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER THAT WE HAVE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. AND AGAIN, BUILDING COMMUNITY AND BOND WITH OUR FAMILIES. THAT’S AMAZING. OKAY, SO FOR ANYBODY WATCHING WHO WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE INFORMATION, WHERE CAN THEY GO? THEY CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, ORLANDO, KITE FESTIVAL.COM AND ALSO ON OUR INSTAGRAM ORLANDO KITE FESTIVAL. REMIND US ONE MORE TIME, WHERE IS THIS TAKING PLACE? WHEN IS THIS HAPPENING? YES, IT HAPPENS THIS UPCOMING SATURDAY, JUST IN THREE DAYS, APRIL 11TH FROM 10 A.M. UNTIL 3 P.M. HAPPENING DOWNTOWN AT THE A SCHOOL ACADEMIC CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE. OKAY, WONDERFUL. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. DOCTOR DOZIER. THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT EVENT. I KNOW IT’S GOING T
Orlando Kite Festival taking STEM, the arts and community to new heights
Organizer Celina Dozier joins WESH 2 to preview the free, family-friendly event returning to the historic Parramore District Saturday, April 11 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Updated: 9:39 AM EDT Apr 8, 2026
The Orlando Kite festival is returning to the historic Parramore Heritage District for its third year on Saturday, April 11. Organizer Celina Dozier joins WESH 2 to preview the free, family-friendly event aiming to bring accessible, educational fun to Central Florida.The festival will include STEM activities, music, food trucks and more. The first 100 children will receive a free kite to decorate and build. Kites will also be available for purchase on-site. Event details:Saturday, April 11, 202610 a.m. – 3 p.m. Orange County Public Schools Academic Center for Excellence701 W Livingston St, Orlando, FL 32805Festival admission is free, but guests are encouraged to secure a ticket online. Click here to visit the event webpage.Follow the Orlando Kite Festival on Instagram for more updates.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
The Orlando Kite festival is returning to the historic Parramore Heritage District for its third year on Saturday, April 11.
Organizer Celina Dozier joins WESH 2 to preview the free, family-friendly event aiming to bring accessible, educational fun to Central Florida.
The festival will include STEM activities, music, food trucks and more.
The first 100 children will receive a free kite to decorate and build.
Kites will also be available for purchase on-site.
Event details:
Saturday, April 11, 2026
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Orange County Public Schools Academic Center for Excellence
701 W Livingston St, Orlando, FL 32805
Festival admission is free, but guests are encouraged to secure a ticket online.
Click here to visit the event webpage.
Follow the Orlando Kite Festival on Instagram for more updates.