A “bigger, better and more colourful” festival with 100-foot crocodiles, mermaids and aliens will kick off this weekend as Darwin celebrates its second annual Kite Festival on Friday and Saturday at the Cullen Bay lawns.

This year’s festival, spanning two colourful days, will offer an abundance of kite-watching, flying, and delightful activities for the whole family, including special kite exhibits, bouncey houses, dance parties, face painting, wandering performers, and live musical performances.

Organisers said anyone can bring their own kite to fly or purchase one onsite to take part in the public kite-flying zone, which will be double the size it was last year.

During the evenings, families can relax and enjoy movies related to kites, which will be shown on a large screen outdoors, providing a perfect way to wind down after the day’s activities.

The festival will also be an excellent opportunity to support local eateries, as food trucks will join the already beloved restaurants, cafés, and ice cream shops in Cullen Bay, enhancing the available food offerings, organisers said.

This year’s festival is anticipated to attract thousands of attendees. To avoid traffic congestion, visitors are encouraged to utilise complimentary transportation services.

Visitors can opt for the Kite Shuttle by parking in the designated overflow parking areas and hopping on the shuttle, which will directly transport people to the festival grounds.

Alternatively, the Kite Express service is available from the Darwin City bus interchange by taking the number 14 bus, temporarily rebranded as Kite Express, for direct access to the festival.

Full event details can be viewed here.