During the Washington State International Kite Festival, you spend more time looking up than you expect. Giant inflatables hang over the beach, sport kite teams turn together, and every few minutes something farther down the sand pulls your attention.
This first-timer’s guide covers what to see, how much time to plan, where to park, what to bring onto the sand, and where to stay during Kite Week. A little planning helps you enjoy the festival without letting it take over every hour of your trip.
At Clark, you can make coffee the way you like it, walk about five minutes to the Pacific, then come back for breakfast before driving into Long Beach. Later, rinse the sand off in the outdoor shower, turn on the steamer shower, and make dinner in a kitchen where the drawers are stocked and the right pan is actually there.
I chose those details because the hours around the main event matter too. Kite Week gives you plenty to see, and Clark gives you a comfortable place to enjoy everything that happens before and after it.
Washington State International Kite Festival Dates
The festival takes over the Bolstad Beach Approach from Monday, August 17, through Sunday, August 23. Admission is free, and the week includes sport kite demonstrations, team flying, handcrafted kite judging, a rokkaku challenge, large displays, an indoor showcase, and a sunset-to-night fly.
Friday is the day to keep open for lighted kite flying after the sun goes down. Sunday is a shorter final day, with events concluding around 3:00 p.m. Those two details make a difference when you are deciding how many nights to book and which day deserves the most time.
Plan Kite Week Around What You Want to See
The festival runs all week, so there is no reason to treat it like something you have to finish in one day. Look over the schedule, choose the events that interest you most, and give yourself time to return on another day.
One morning might be best for handcrafted judging or the indoor showcase. Another afternoon could be for sport kite teams, the rokkaku challenge, or walking the main field when the larger displays are in the air. Friday deserves extra time when you want to stay for the lighted kite flying.
That gives you time to enjoy the Long Beach Boardwalk, visit the World Kite Museum, or return to Clark while you still have some energy left. A full itinerary sounds good while planning. A hot shower and a quiet chair often sound better by late afternoon.
A Few Kite Events Worth Understanding
Rokkaku kites are six-sided Japanese fighting kites. During a challenge, flyers maneuver their kites against one another and try to bring the other kites down. There is more strategy involved than you first expect, especially once you start watching the flyer instead of staring only at the sky.
Sport kite pairs and teams create precise turns, dives, and patterns together. The kites may look smooth from a distance, but the flyers are constantly adjusting their position and line tension. Stand where you can see both parts of the performance.
The World Kite Museum adds some history to everything happening outside. Its collections cover kite traditions from around the world, and the Military Room includes early kites connected to aviation and military training. The museum is at 303 Sid Snyder Drive, close enough to work into the same festival day.
Parking for Kite Week
Festival parking is entered from 3rd Street SW. The closest lot to the beach, vendors, and main event areas costs $5 per day or $30 for the full week. Public restrooms are available in the lot.
Complimentary golf-cart shuttles help guests who need assistance getting between the parking area and the beach. The parking money supports the World Kite Museum and the Ilwaco High School music program, which makes the fee feel a little better when you hand it over.
Bring less than you think you need. A low chair, water, sunscreen, and a jacket are enough for most visits. Every extra bag becomes heavier once you are walking through loose sand.
What August Feels Like on the Beach
Long Beach can be warm near town and considerably cooler once you reach the open beach. The wind rarely cares what the weather app predicted earlier that morning. Bring a wind-resistant jacket even when the day begins with sunshine.
A low chair works better than something tall and light. Binoculars help with the sport kite teams and large displays. A portable phone charger is useful when you plan to take photos during the day and stay for the lighted flying.
Wear shoes that are comfortable in sand. At Clark, there are two outdoor showers, including a rain shower built into the pergola post near the hot tub, so you can rinse off before going inside.
Where to Stay for the Washington State International Kite Festival
Make an early morning coffee and then pour it into your Yeti mug and take your before-breakfast walk with a hot coffee the entire walk. From Clark, go down the paved driveway, turn right at the private gravel road, then follow the mowed path through the dunes. The Pacific is about five minutes away.
Come back and cook breakfast in a kitchen designed for people who love to cook. There is a gas stovetop, two sinks, Smeg appliances, a Smeg steamer oven, a waffle maker, a panini grill, a pizza oven, cast iron cookware, and drawers that are fully stocked and organized.
I know people notice the large things first. They see the stone fireplace, seven skylights, and open cathedral ceiling. After a few days, they start noticing that the right glass is there for the drink they want, the pans are where they should be, and the coffee bar gives them more than one way to make coffee.
That attention to detail matters during Kite Week. You can make a real breakfast before leaving, come back for lunch, or cook dinner without working around an almost empty rental kitchen.
A day on the beach has a way of finding muscles you forgot about. When you return to Clark, the ground-floor master bathroom has a large multi-head shower with steam, body jets, a rain shower, a heated towel bar, and radiant heated floors. There is also an outdoor soaker tub when you would rather stay outside.
The Hot Spring hot tub sits under the pergola with a bar and three barstools beside it. Rinse off the sand, soak for a while, then move over to one of the cushioned swivel chairs around the fire table. You do not have to get dressed and go back into town to make the evening feel special.
The kitchen makes staying home an easy decision. Put something in the pizza oven, use the gas stovetop, or grill outside on the 32-inch Blaze grill. Open a bottle of wine and relax in the screen room while someone else finishes dinner.
This is where Clark fits into the Washington State International Kite Festival 2026. The festival fills the middle of the day. Clark takes care of the hours before and after it.
Two Master Suites, Nobody Gets the Lesser Room
Clark has two total bedrooms, both master suites with king Tempur-Pedic beds and adjoining bathrooms. This works especially well for two couples traveling together, a couple who wants more room, or a small family. Nobody has to draw the short straw and sleep in the leftover bedroom.
Both beds have down feather toppers, down pillows, Belgian linen duvets, high-thread-count cotton sheets, and Pendleton wool blankets. The loft suite also has a private deck, heated bathroom floors, and a massive center-cut live-edge slab headboard.
I built Lewis first, then took what I learned and applied it to Clark. Both houses share the same ideas of natural light, privacy, open space, and comfort. Clark gave me a second chance to refine the woodworking, lighting, kitchen, and outdoor spaces.
Leave One Morning Unplanned
Kite Week can easily become a list of times and places. Leave one morning open. Walk to the beach from Clark, make a late breakfast, then decide what sounds good after another cup of coffee.
You could visit the World Kite Museum and explore Long Beach, walk the Long Beach Boardwalk, or drive south using my Cape Disappointment State Park guide. You could also stay at the house and use the pickleball, volleyball, and bocce courts shared with Lewis.
Sometimes the better choice is the hot tub, a board game, or a chair in the sun. Clark has more than 75 board games, over 20 puzzles, a PS5 with 43 games, a Nintendo Switch 2 with 31 games, and an arcade cabinet with thousands of classic titles. Rain does not ruin the day here.
Plan Your Kite Week Stay
The Washington State International Kite Festival gives you a reason to come to Long Beach in August. Clark gives you a place where the rest of the trip feels just as carefully planned, from the first coffee of the morning to the hot tub at the end of the night.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Washington State International Kite Festival 2026?
The festival runs August 17 through 23, 2026, at the Bolstad Beach Approach in Long Beach. The 2026 festival celebrates its 45th year.
Is admission free?
Yes. Festival admission is free.
Which day should I attend?
Friday is a good choice when you want to see the lighted kite flying after sunset. Sunday has a shorter schedule, with events ending around 3:00 p.m. During the rest of the week, choose your day based on the performances and competitions that interest you most.
Can beginners fly their own kites?
Yes. Public flying areas give visitors space to put up their own kites. Pay attention to field boundaries and leave plenty of room around competitors, large displays, and experienced flyers working with multiple lines.
Where should I stay for the Washington State International Kite Festival?
Clark by Beachhousewa makes a comfortable home base for Kite Week. It has two king master suites, a fully stocked kitchen, a steamer shower, an outdoor soaker tub, a Hot Spring hot tub under the pergola, and a private yard where you can settle in after a day on the sand.
Is Clark close to the kite festival?
Yes. Clark is about an eight-minute drive from the festival grounds at the Bolstad Beach Approach. During Kite Week, allow a little extra time for traffic and parking, especially before popular events and Friday’s lighted kite flying.
