Presidio Trust and Highline Kites Launch New Kite Expo

​​​​​Presidio of San Francisco (June 13, 2015) – The Presidio Trust and Highline Kites, producer of the popular Berkeley Kite Festival, today announced an inaugural Presidio Kite Expo on Saturday, June 13 from noon to 5 pm on the Presidio’s Main Parade Ground. The Presidio Kite Expo will include a kite making pavilion, a display of kites by master kite artisans, team kite “ballet”, and giant creature kites.

“We are excited to launch the inaugural Presidio Kite Expo,” said Craig Middleton, Presidio Trust Executive Director. “The dramatic beauty of the artisan kites against the backdrop of the Presidio’s Main Post will be an amazing site.  I’m sure the Presidio Kite Expo will become one of the Presidio’s signature events.”

This free, all-day event will feature a schedule of family-friendly activities that will let your imagination soar, featuring all things kite. Some highlights include:

• ​Kite Making Pavilion: Kids and adults can create their own masterpiece using a free kite making kit, and then take it out for a sail above the beautiful Main Parade Ground;
• Gallery Walk: Master kite artisans from across North America will display hundreds of their extraordinary creations, including kites of all shapes and sizes;
• Team Kite Ballet: Kite teams will perform intricate aerial routines choreographed to music;
• Giant Creature Kites: The famous Berkeley Kite Wrangler Team will showcase their mind-blowing kites;
• ​Taiko Drummers: Feel the beat of these traditional performers as they provide a musical backdrop for the day’s festivities.

“I was thrilled to be invited by the Presidio Trust to partner with our local community and renowned kite artists from across North America to create the Presidio Kite Expo,” said Tom McAlister, owner of Highline Kites and founder of the Berkeley Kite Festival. “I believe the Kite Expo will expose a whole new community to the diversity and artistry of modern kiting.” Mr. McAlister is a renowned kite designer who creates original kites that are prized by discriminating collectors. He founded the Berkeley Kite Festival in 1986 and it has become one of the premier kite festivals in the Western Hemisphere.

​The Presidio Kite Expo will take place on Saturday, June 13 from noon to 5 p.m.

​About Highline Kites 

In 1986 Highline Kites founded the Berkeley Kite Festival, which over the past three decades has become one of the premier kite festivals in the Western Hemisphere. Highline Kites’ owner, Tom McAlister, is a renowned kite designer who creates original kites that are prized by discriminating collectors. More at www.HighlineKites.com.

About the Presidio Trust

The Presidio Trust is an innovative federal agency created to save the Presidio and transform it for a new national purpose. The Trust’s vision is that the Presidio will be forever a public place: vital to the Bay Area, important to all Americans, and recognized for achieving broad benefits for the nation. Today, the Presidio welcomes visitors, is home to a vibrant community of residents and tenants, and inspires greater good through programs that draw on its history and natural resources. The Presidio Trust serves the public with events, lodging, venues, and recreational opportunities. To learn more, visit ​​www.presidio.gov.