Robert Loera (left) and Kevin Lum fly kites at Lahaina’s Wo Hing Museum.

LAHAINA – The wonderful world of kites will be celebrated during Lahaina Restoration Foundation’s Chinese Kite Festival at Wo Hing Museum and Cookhouse at 858 Front St. in Lahaina on Friday, April 26.

Next, a Kite Flying Day is slated at Lahaina Cannery Mall’s open space lawn (near the intersection of Honoapiilani Highway and Keawe Street) on Saturday, April 27.

Admission is free to both events.

April is National Kite Month, and to celebrate, the Wo Hing Museum will offer free admission all week to see its colorful kite displays, beginning Monday, April 22.

During the festival on Friday, April 26, guests can see kites from around the world in traditional and modern styles. Unique kites will be available for purchase.

Presentations will be made by Dr. Busaba Yip Douglas on Ancient Chinese Kites and by Kite Master Robert Loera on the History of Modern Kites at 2 p.m. and again at 6 p.m.

Also on Friday, from 3 to 8 p.m., kids of all ages can make a kite with all materials and instruction provided. Anyone over ten years old can try their hand at the ancient art of Chinese knotting.

Learn and play mahjong with a group of experienced mahjong players, who will be sharing their talents and teaching everyone how to play this fun and exciting game.

Yip, the Wo Hing cultural director for Lahaina Restoration Foundation, said, “I hope our kite festival will bring all kite lovers together with our community.

“The joy of kite flying is not only for the ones who fly kites but also for those who watch them. We invite the whole family to come out and have a good time!”

On Saturday, April 27, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., bring the whole family to fly kites at the open space lawn adjacent to Lahaina Cannery Mall, where there is plenty of free parking.

At 10 a.m., watch Loera of the Hawaii Kitefliers Association put 50 kites into the air at once in an attempt to break a world record.

At noon, kids will love the “Catch a Kite” race across the grassy lawn. The sky’s the limit!

In addition to flying their own kites, participants can design and make a kite with all materials provided.

“I love showing my mastery of flying all kites, big or small, and seeing the smiles on people’s faces as they gaze up at colorful kites in the big blue sky,” Loera noted.

The festival is presented by Wo Hing Society and Lahaina Restoration Foundation.

It is sponsored by Hawaii Tourism Authority and the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, and supported by Maui Toy Works and Lahaina Cannery Mall.

Wo Hing Museum will be open continuously from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 26, with free admission.

For more information, call the museum at 661-5553, see LahainaRestoration.org/events or get updates on social media.