Though Manchester is hard to beat, a coastal escape and a dose of fresh sea air are always a welcome change of pace. Just over an hour from the city centre, the charming town of St Annes makes an ideal destination for a quick day trip or weekend getaway. Beyond its famous, award-winning beach huts, the town is renowned for the annual St Annes International Kite Festival, which fills the skies above the shore with an extraordinary display of colour and imagination.
Organised in partnership with SmileFactor10, the three-day festival will take place over the first weekend of September, bringing together top kite fliers and international teams. Set to be its largest edition to date, this year’s event firmly secures the town’s reputation as home to one of the premier kite festivals in the UK.
When and where does St Annes International Kite Festival take place?
St Annes Kite Festival is set to take place on St Annes Beach, St Annes on the Sea, Lancashire, FY8 2NG from midday on Friday 4 September to Sunday 6 September 2026.
Timings for kite flying, which have been selected to align with the tides, ensuring optimal conditions, are as follows:
- Friday 4th – 12 noon to 10pm featuring illuminated kite flying
- Saturday 5th – 11am to 5pm (N.B. Fairground will operate into the evening)
- Sunday 6th – 11am to 4pm
What to expect at the kite festival
Families can enjoy an action-packed day out as St Annes Beach comes alive with vibrant entertainment, fairground rides, and spectacular kite displays. Guests can grab a bite from the food and drink stalls along the Promenade or bring their own picnic to enjoy on the sand.
Five separate flying arenas will span the beach – including one outside of the dog control zone, so visitors with dogs can get close up to some of the kite action. To kick off the festivities, a magical illuminated kite display will light up the sky on the evening of Friday, September 4th.
The festival will have kite flyers arriving from Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, South Africa, Poland, Finland, the USA and Tasmania. Plus, for the 2026 event, there will be an artisan market featuring local producers in the Promenade Gardens (adjacent to the Promenade and opposite the St Ives Hotel and Inn on the Prom Hotel) on Saturday and Sunday.
Things to do in St Annes
Beyond the main events on the beach, the town centre of St Annes-on-the-Sea sits just 100 yards from St Annes Pier, offering a variety of shops, cafes, restaurants, and the picturesque Ashton Gardens with its popular Pavilion.
Closer to the shore, visitors can explore the Promenade Gardens, an ornamental lake garden, a pitch-and-putt course, a Victorian paddling pool, a mini splash park, and a miniature railway, as well as the town’s famous beach huts further along the South Promenade.
St Annes International Kite Festival Art Trail
A free, self-guided art trail will be running throughout the St Annes International Kite Festival weekend (Friday 4 – Sunday 6 September) across 15 town centre businesses. Displays feature student-designed, hand-painted kite artwork in participating shop windows.
Pick up trail maps from participating shops or the Discover Fylde bus on St Annes Promenade. There is also a letter-hunting contest hidden within the displays offering a chance to win a kite hamper. You can submit completed entry forms to the Discover Fylde bus or Pot Bound during the festival weekend.
Travelling to St Annes from Manchester city centre
- By Car (approx. 1 hour 30 minutes): Drive via the M61, M6, and M55. Free, short-stay, and long-stay parking options are available near the beach.
- By Train (approx. 1 hour 37 minutes): Travel from Manchester Piccadilly to Preston, then switch to the Blackpool South service and get off at St Annes-on-the-Sea. The beach is just a 5-minute walk from the station through the town centre
Parking in St Annes
Organisers strongly recommend that you don’t set off to arrive at lunchtime. There is plenty of parking, but if you try to arrive around midday, event organisers have warned that you are likely to encounter heavy traffic.
There is event parking on the South Promenade, FY8 1NW but overnight parking is not permitted. A full list of short stay and long stay car parks in St Annes can be found here.
Free car parks
St Albans Road, St Annes
Sat nav postcode: FY8 3NQ
17 marked standard bays, 2 disabled bays
Fairhaven Bowling Green, Fairhaven
Sat nav postcode: FY8 1BD
21 marked and unmarked standard bays, 7 disabled bays
Kirkham Baths Car Park, Kirkham
Sat nav postcode: PR4 2HA
23 unmarked standard bays
What will the weather be like?
The event is entirely weather dependent and the planned programme may be changed without notice, for safety reasons. The dates have been chosen as the planned tides support this. Stay up to date here.
Forecast currently:
Friday – Chances of precipitation are around 30-40% with light winds and gusts of around 30mph and highs of 18°C.
Saturday – Chances of precipitation are around 10% with a gentle breeze and gusts of around 20mph and highs of 16°C.
Sunday – Chances of precipitation are around 30% with a gentle breeze and gusts of around 20mph and highs of 20°C.
