Carrigaline Park will come alive with vibrant colours on 6th May with Basant/Kite Flying Festival 2023. Basant celebrates the arrival of spring and is popular in all cultures of the Indian Subcontinent. Traditionally it's harvest season and kite-flying helps release a quiet grey winter to welcome the bright season of spring. In Ireland, Basant coincides with Beltane celebrations. The colour yellow prevails during this festival and everyone is invited to wear yellow on the day. It's a family friendly event with food stalls offering ice-cream, falafel and vegetarian options too. The lead organiser Amna Walayat explains,"This is our second year celebrating Basant at Carrigaline Park, thanks to the generosity of Cork County Council and local businesses. If you are able, please wear yellow and join us for a picnic and an afternoon of kite flying. Basant, to me, is an invitation for us to gather with friends and fly kites to create a sense of community and evoke the sense of belonging."
Basant/Kite Flying Festival 2023 is created in collaboration with Good Day Cork - a magazine dedicated to amplify under-respresented voices. Jo Dukkipati, founder of Good Day Cork commented, "This festival aims to bring joy by encouraging people to share a seasonal ritual with one another. Nature has a lot to teach us about accepting all forms of diversity. I hope that this event helps everyone recognise that Ireland is a melting pot of cultures that enrich our country." Co. Cork Mayor Cllr Dany Collins will be in attendance at Basant/Kite Flying Festival 2023. This event is made possible with generous support of Cork County Council and Spice Garden, the Asian grocery shop on South Douglas Road. The Pakistan Overseas Community (POC) along with many others will volunteer on the day of the festival. Tomiwa Morris, media coordinator of the festival adds, " “This event is the perfect way to welcome spring and is a wonderful tradition filled with colour, creativity, culture and heritage.” Kites with thread will be available on the day for a small donation of €2. Carrigaline Park has public car-parking, is wheelchair accessible and there's a public toilet on site. It is recommended to register on Eventbrite to join the festival. For any event queries or sponsorships please contact Amna Walayat directly: amna.walyat@gmail.com