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Thursday 9th June 2011

More than 40,000 people swooped to Russell Park over the weekend (4th-5th June) for the 9th Annual Bedford International Kite Festival.

Organised and run by the events team at Bedford Borough Council, the weekend included kite flying experts from countries including: Australia, Bali, China, Indonesia, Switzerland, Germany and Holland.

The Festival was held on Russell Park and proved a great day out for the whole family. The site was packed with brilliant entertainment, including street theatre, crafts, flying displays, funfair, food stalls and a bar.

For those wanting some hands-on experience, there was also a special arena for individuals to have a go at flying one of the kites in the middle of the park, alongside the experts from around the world.

As the festival has proved historically popular with Japanese kite flyers and has links with the ‘Japanese Kite Flyers Society’, event organisers and site participants felt it appropriate to hold this year’s auction towards the ‘Japan Tsunami Appeal’.

The auction raised over £1,000 to helping to restore the north shore of Japan, which is currently undergoing continuing repair work after the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March.

Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: “The wind picked up just in time for thousands to enjoy this year’s Kite Festival. The free entertainment on offer throughout the weekend helped make it the success it was.”

“I was at the Festival on Saturday and it was a real pleasure to see so many families enjoying the amazing kites from around the world. I was also pleased to buy a kite myself at this year’s charity auction, and am delighted that so much money was raised for the Japan Tsunami Appeal.”

The events team at Bedford Borough Council will also be organising the following events for 2011/12:

Bedford Italian Festival - Sunday 12th June 2011
Race For Life, Embankment - Sunday 24th July
Bandstand Concerts Mill Meadows Sundays from 26th June – August 28th
Bedford by the Sea from 3rd – 6th August Harpur Square
Christmas Lights Switch On - November 23rd The Embankment
Victorian Christmas Fair from 9th – 11th December
10th Anniversary Kite Festival & Diamond Jubilee Celebrations from 2nd – 3rd June 2012
Bedford River Festival - 21st & 22nd July 2012

For more information on the Kite Festival, the River Festival 2012 and any other events happening in Bedford, visit www.bedfordevents.co.uk

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