This year’s Festival of Kites supported the cause of the Wildlife Conservation Society “Let’s get to know and love the soaring birds on the Black Sea migration route Via Pontica”.

Many thanks to all photographers – amateurs and professionals, who sent us their photos. Here is a selection of 22 representative images, which were extremely difficult to select among all the beautiful photos we received

Favorable winds allowed the participants to demonstrate their skills in the manipulation of original and attractive kite models. This year the festival included participants from neighboring Turkey. Enthusiasts from Seagull Kite Club even rose in the sky the biggest kite ever seen in town – a blue silk bear. Some models were patterned by the smiling children on the beach.

To the kids’ delight, candies rained from the sky, while the colorful kites floated amid thousands of White Storks migrating over Varna.

Over 20,000 storks flew over Asparuhovo Beach during the festival, following the Via Pontica – the western Black Sea migratory route of birds. The sight of huge colorful kites against the stork flocks fascinated everybody present, and reminded us of our privilege, but also of our responsibility to protect this natural wealth.

This year’s Festival of Kites supports the cause of the Wildlife Conservation Society “Let’s get to know and love the soaring birds on the Black Sea migration route Via Pontica”. We thank all the members and volunteers of WCS for the enthusiasm and effort s they put to make this event happen!

This year the Varna Kite Festival becomes international – participants from Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Romania and others will demonstrate their original handmade models. The program includes a parade of kites, a competition for the most attractive model demonstrations of model aircraft, gliders and other flying objects and kite-making workshop on the spot. The accompanying program of the festival is also rich – performances of children’s dance and theater groups from Varna and the region, mini-concert of famous Bulgarian pop singers, workshops for making jewelry, badges and origami, a photography workshop and photo exhibitions “Kite Festival – Varna 2014 “, guided watching the ongoing migration of storks, pelicans and other soaring birds with specialized optics, nice music and many other activities.

Striving to achieve the freedom and beauty of the flight of birds, about two millennia ago man invented the kite. Therefore, the relationship between such a popular entertainment like kite-flying and the cause of wild birds conservation is more than obvious. This year’s festival supports the initiative of the Wildlife Conservation Society “Let’s get to know and love the soaring birds along the Black Sea migration flyway, the Via Pontica”.