Annual Kites at the Pier Festival

Long Branch has been drawing people to its stretch of the Jersey Shore for well over a century, and every April, the beach at Pier Village adds one more reason to make the drive. The Annual Kites at the Pier Festival takes over the oceanfront on April 11th, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., filling the sky above the Atlantic with giant inflatable kites, vertical wind feathers, and enough color to be visible from miles down the shoreline. Admission is free. The whole event is organized by Sky Festival Productions, which brings in kite flyers from clubs across the eastern seaboard each year, including past participants from the South Jersey Kite Flyers, Connectikiters, Keystone Kiters, Wings Over Washington, and Liberty High Spirits of New Jersey.

The professional display is the visual anchor of the day. Past festivals have sent giant inflatable versions of dinosaurs, octopuses, seahorses, sharks, and unicorns skyward above the sand, each one tethered and maneuvered by experienced handlers while the crowd watches from the beach and the Pier Village boardwalk. A separate public flying field gives families their own space to launch personal kites, and kites are available for purchase on-site if you show up empty-handed. The bubble artist station draws its own crowd, running from noon onward alongside live music at the Carousel Stage. One of the more memorable recurring activities is the Running of the Bols competition, in which parents and kids each grab an eight-foot diameter parachute-kite and run headfirst into the wind from a starting line to the finish. It is exactly as chaotic and fun as it sounds.

Beyond the kite displays, the 2026 festival features face painting from 9:00 a.m. onward, stilt walkers and dance performances from noon to 4:00 p.m., a makers and artisan market running the length of the boardwalk, and hands-on pottery and paint-a-pot sessions through Blue Skies Pottery. Pier Pins bowling lanes open at noon for reserved play, and Pier Putt miniature golf runs throughout the day alongside arcade games and a family scavenger hunt with pickup at Boardwalk Fun N’ Games. McLoone’s Pier House, the waterfront restaurant that anchors Pier Village and takes its name from local restaurateur Tim McLoone, provides a reliable lunch stop with indoor seating and Atlantic views when you need a break from the wind.

Good to know: The rain date is Sunday, April 12th, 2026. If weather forces the postponement, kite flying, live music, and the artisan market shift to Sunday with the same general schedule. The festival runs across both indoor and outdoor spaces, so the day stays viable in light rain even if the professional kite display is affected. April on the Jersey Shore averages in the mid-50s, with ocean breezes that feel colder than the thermometer suggests, so dress in proper layers and bring something wind-resistant for the kids.

If you’re going with kids: The Running of the Bols competition, bubble station, and face painting are the three activities that hold children’s attention longest. Younger kids tend to gravitate toward the bubble artist in the afternoon. The carousel at Pier Village runs throughout the day as an additional option when attention spans need a reset.

Quick Tips

• Arrive at or before 10:00 a.m. for the easiest parking and first access to the artisan market before it fills with foot traffic
• Street parking along Chelsea Avenue and Ocean Avenue fills by mid-morning on fair-weather Saturdays, so plan accordingly
• Bring cash for vendor booths and kite purchases, though most vendors accept cards
• The public flying field is separate from the professional display area, so pick your spot based on which you want closest access to
• Check the official Pier Village event page or social channels the morning of April 11th for any weather updates before you leave home

Long Branch sits roughly 60 miles south of New York City along the Garden State Parkway, making it one of the more accessible shore events in the state. The town’s Victorian-era boardwalk legacy runs deep: presidents from Grant to Garfield once summered here, and the shoreline still carries the feel of a place that takes its leisure seriously. If you want to extend the weekend, the lake country of northern New Jersey is within comfortable driving distance, with quiet waterfront rentals around Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake that offer a different kind of coastal calm than the Shore. Browse available lakeside properties on Lake.com and pair your Long Branch day trip with a slower morning on the water the following day.