On Sunday, February 15th, Miami Country Day School’s Contemporary Music Ensemble performed at the 23rd annual Kite Festival at Haulover Park. The free event was coordinated by the Miami-Dade Parks Department and Dan Ward, the owner and operator of Haulover Parks’ kite store, Skyward Kites. The event is enjoyed by over a thousand children and adults from across the county that come to the park to fly kites and embrace an afternoon of food and fun.

This past performance is the fourth time that CME has participated at a kite event in Haulover Park. They have previously performed at the 2013 and 2014 Kitetober Fests and the 2014 Kite Day Festival. CME began playing at the festival in 2013 because Mr. Dan Ward had heard the band and contacted Mr. Wicker  thinking that a high school music group with extensive performing experience would be perfect for the event. Since then, they have been commonplace at both the Kite Day Festival and the Kitetober Fest.

Live music is an extremely effective way to get people moving and dancing to the beat as opposed to solely a playlist sounding from the speakers. It incorporates more of a human element into the music and the attendees benefit greatly from it. Children as well as adults were on the grass feet away from the stage having fun to the rhythms of the different songs. Children were running with small kites, trying to get them up in the air, as their parents trailed behind. Josh Hug, junior and veteran CME member, says that playing at a gig like the Kite Day Festival is “very exhilarating but stressful because there is a constant pressure to perform. Ultimately I do enjoy the experience a lot because it feels great to do well and see people enjoy your performance.” The music ensemble’s performance went above and beyond expectations. Chris Ward, Skyward Kites employee and fellow Miami Country Day School student says that, “CME is definitely the best live band that we’ve ever had at the festival. That’s a pretty big statement considering how we’ve been having the festival twice a year for almost 23 years now.”

The event is a great opportunity for families to take a break and get together for some outdoor excitement. This year’s festival was lucky enough to have taken place on a day with constant sun and the optimal amount of wind for the afternoon’s kite flying activities. Food trucks lined the parking lot as children walked away with pizza, frozen ice and artisan french fries. Some of the trucks in attendance were Kona Ice, Moty’s Grill, La Nostra Pizza, and many more. To anybody on the fence about attending the next Kite Day Festival, Chris says, “Just come and try it out! Bring some friends, have some food and just relax.”