by Sylene Argent
A gentle breeze and clear skies on Saturday afternoon provided the perfect weather for the Town of Essex’s Arts, Culture, and Tourism (ACT) Committee to host its first Essex Kite Festival at the Heritage Gardens Park.
Some of the event attendees opted to fly the free kite provided at the three-hour event, while others brought along their own impressive and colourful aerial devices to show off. Youth giggled with excitement as they ran across the open field, dodging one another, to get enough speed to get their kite to lift off the ground. Parents cheered on their youth as their kites soared across the mid-day sky, and also lent-a-hand to untangle snags.
In addition to flying a kite, and enjoying free popcorn, there were a variety of activities, including fun contests and games available to participate in.
Members of Essex Fire & Rescue, along with firetrucks and safety equipment, were also onsite during the event. The local firefighters used the opportunity to reach many families so they could relay their messages of fire prevention and safety, in addition to the importance of having an escape plan if an emergency was to ever occur.
Youth enjoyed trying on firefighter equipment and touring the firetruck parked on site.