A KITE Festival could take to the skies over Dorchester next summer, reviving the spirit of the once-popular Weymouth Kite Festival.

The proposed Kite Festival, scheduled for Saturday 6 June 2026, aims to attract professional kite flyers from across the UK and beyond as well as local fliers.

The event is being developed by Dorchester Town Council in partnership with the White Horse Kite Flyers, an organisation with international reach and a long history of involvement in the Weymouth festival during its heyday.

The group, based in Yeovil, has already conducted successful test flights at the Great Field and praised the location's suitability. "It was a very successful test flight for us," they said. "We all had fun and received lovely feedback from local residents. There's a lot of enthusiasm from us to support making this happen."

The festival will be free to attend, with no entry charge, and will feature: public kite flying zones; stunt kite demonstrations; children's kite-making workshops and other creative art activities with food and charity stalls.

Dorchester Town Council will coordinate key logistics including first aid, lost property, toilets, waste management, and promotion. The council is also working closely with the White Horse Kite Flyers to ensure safe flying zones and engaging displays.

Organisers say the timing of the event avoids clashes with other national kite festivals, ensuring strong attendance from the kite flying community and also coincides with the Lions Summerfest on the following day, allowing for shared resources such as bins and toilets, and joint promotional efforts.

Town councillors have been told that festival is expected to boost visitor numbers during the quieter early summer period, outside of school holidays.

Local businesses in Poundbury have expressed support for more public events on the Great Field, and the kite festival could become a new highlight in Dorchester's cultural calendar.

To manage traffic and parking, the town council is considering several measures, including: promoting public transport and cycling; offering free parking in Dorchester town centre and coordinating with the Duchy of Cornwall on road access and signage.

A budget of £4,000 has been proposed, covering marketing, staff costs, materials for workshops, first aid, and facilities. The council will seek sponsorship and charge pitch fees to reduce costs.

The proposal is currently awaiting approval in principle from Dorchester Town Council members.