St Annes Kite Festival 2026: free seafront displays from 4 to 6 September
The free St Annes Kite Festival returns from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September 2026, bringing display kites flown by teams from across the UK and beyond to St Annes beach beside the pier. Friday’s programme begins at noon and continues into the evening, while Saturday and Sunday offer daytime flying. Families, children and dog owners are among the audiences catered for, and entry is free.
Organised through a partnership between Fylde Council and SmileFactor10, with ongoing support from St Annes Town Council, the festival will use five flying arenas across the beach. The dates were chosen because the planned tides support the safe running of the event.
Choosing the best day to attend
Friday 4 September has the longest advertised programme, running from noon until 10pm and featuring illuminated kite flying after dark. It is the session to choose for visitors who particularly want to see the evening display.
Saturday provides the longest daytime programme, with kite flying advertised from 11am to 5pm. The fairground is expected to continue into Saturday evening after flying finishes. Sunday’s programme runs from 11am to 4pm, giving visitors another opportunity to see the displays before the festival ends.
| Date | Advertised kite-flying times |
|---|---|
| Friday 4 September | 12 noon–10pm, including illuminated flying |
| Saturday 5 September | 11am–5pm |
| Sunday 6 September | 11am–4pm |
All flying and programme details are weather dependent. The organisers may change the planned programme without notice when necessary for safety, so the advertised times should be treated as the intended schedule rather than a guarantee.
Kite arenas, fairground and artisan market
Five flying arenas will operate on the beach adjacent to St Annes Pier. One will be positioned outside the dog control zone, allowing visitors with dogs to get close to part of the kite action while remaining in the appropriate area.
Away from the flying arenas, the programme includes a fairground on the beach and additional food and drink stalls on the Promenade. An artisan market featuring local producers is also planned for the Promenade Gardens. Visitors can use the event stalls, bring a picnic or head into St Annes town centre for refreshments.
These activities are spread between the beach, Promenade and Promenade Gardens, making the pier-side seafront the central point for the weekend’s programme.
Planning your visit to St Annes seafront
The venue is St Annes beach adjacent to the pier in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire. Entry is free. The official listing does not say that advance booking is required, but it does not provide detailed transport or accessibility arrangements either. Visitors who need those details should consult the official information before travelling.
Because weather and beach conditions can affect both the kite flying and the wider programme, check the Visit Lancashire event listing close to the chosen day. Event enquiries can also be made through Fylde tourist information on 01253 658443 or at [email protected].
Source: Visit Lancashire Events
Context & actions About this article
Source check Event details checked
Dates, advertised times, venue, free entry and activities were checked against the official Visit Lancashire event listing.
- Confirmed the festival dates as 4–6 September 2026
- Confirmed the venue as St Annes beach beside the pier
- Confirmed free entry and the published daily flying times
- Retained the organiser’s warning that the programme is weather dependent
- Source
- Visit Lancashire Events
- Scope
- Lytham St Annes
- Updated
- 2026-08-26 16:40
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