HOW IS A ROCK LIKE A KITE? They both can be quite beautiful, and eye-catching, and pausing to admire one is something that is easy to do. Might we display an especially interesting rock, if it is small enough, on a shelf? We definitely would, much in the same way we might hang a beloved kite from our childhood out on the porch or in the garage, a colorful tribute to another time. But the comparisons between the two aren't plentiful, especially when you involve a colossal geologic formation like Morro Rock, which is far, far larger than a triangle of bright nylon, the sort of fabric that can soar on the slimmest of breezes. Perhaps these major differences are why the Morro Bay Kite Festival is so especially fetching: Light and bright objects sail high in the sky with the handsome and hulking volcanic cone as a beautiful backdrop, making for quite the striking visual.
THE FREE FEST... is sailing our way, on April 30 and May 1, and kite aficionados, from pros to beginners, will be out on the Central Coast community's picturesque beaches. Getting in? As mentioned, entry is as free as a salty, bracing wind blowing in off the foam. Parking? Oh yes: This is also a pay-nothing treat. Where to go? Well, the ancient hunk of igneous rock is a good guide: When you see it, head to the area just northeast, on the beach. Of course, the fluttering kites will serve as a merry map, too, as to where you need to go, should you spy them in the distance as you approach the ocean. Adding to the sweetness? Some 500 kites will be provided for kids to try out, though families are invited to show with their own.
MORRO ROCK... has long served as a dramatic backdrop to a host of bashes, from margarita-themed fun near the fall to the upcoming City-Wide Yard Sale (a quirky Morro Bay tradition). But when light kites and dense dacite meet? A breeze-riding flyer and a rock that's been in the same spot for eons? The contrast is almost too delightful. Experience this in person, as April 2022 darts, dives, and flies into May.
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