Preparing for 20th Annual Sailwinds Kite Festival

Photo Courtesy of Chad Malkus

(CAMBRIDGE, Md) – This weekend, hundreds from across Maryland are expected to make their way to Cambridge. As they take part in the 20th annual Sailwinds Kite Festival.

Organizer Chad Malkus has been putting on the Kite Festival at Sailwinds Park since the mid 2000s. And he remembers how it all started.

Chad tells us, “So about 20 years ago, I started, this kite festival, and, many people said, you know, ‘what do you know about, doing a kite festival?’ And I said, ‘I don’t really know anything about doing a kite festival, but how hard can it be?'”

Local businesses will also be taking part in the Kite Festival. And officials at Dorchester County Tourism say they’re excited to be hosting this event, and can’t wait to see all of the kites this weekend.

Wendy Ashburn with Dorchester Tourism says, “Oh, it’ll be very exciting. It’s going to be beautiful. Hopefully we’ll have a beautiful windy day. And we usually have people sealed up around the, on the playground. But all this across, the front of the property is going to be filled up with people and kites.”

As they get set to host the Kite Festival, Chad can’t wait to see hundreds along the banks of the Choptank River as the kites fly over the water.

“It’s going to be awesome. it’s typically usually 750 to 1000 people. Sometimes it’s been more, you know, depending on the weather. And, people come from all over, all over Maryland for it,” says Chad.

The Kite Festival will take place at Sailwinds Park along the Choptank River at 2 Rosehill Place in Cambridge from Noon to 4 P.M. Sunday, October 19th.