I am talking about kites, hundreds of them in myriad shapes, colors, and sizes, beneath an April sky.

I had gone to Washington DC to see the famed Cherry Blossoms, a subdued bloom this year due to the unseasonal cold weather. The petals were falling off in the wind that had picked up early in the morning.

Heading back, I saw that the persistent breeze was a welcome boon to kite flying enthusiasts who thronged the National Mall area for the Blossom Kite Festival in its seventh annual event. The Washington Monument grounds was a flurry of activity with parents helping children to get their kites into the air, serious kite fliers competing at the event, photo buffs, and onlookers taking in all the excitement. I joined the bustling crowd.

Crowds assembled at the Washington Monument grounds

Soon the sky was dotted with bright, colorful kites. The roaring wind at times sent the kites spiraling to dizzying heights and made them look like tiny specks in the sky. The next moment the dropping wind brought them drifting down, their silhouettes more visible. Creative aerodynamic versions of cartoon characters took flight and soared above the crowd. But it was not smooth sailing for everyone. Some kites hovered low while several got caught in the trees or flags at the base of the monument.

The Blossom Kite Festival, a part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in DC, is a free annual event that attracts amateurs and expert kite flyers. There is a whole day of kite-flying, kite-related activities and demonstrations, competitions, and activity stations where kids can make their own kites to fly.

Here are some “high-flying moments” I managed to capture.

A ship “weathers the storm”

Colorful kites in flight

Vibrant “butterflies” at the Kite Festival

A “dragon” swoops down

Soaring close to the Washington Monument

A “Minion” looks over the Capitol Hill