PRESS RELEASE

May 2, 2009

For Immediate Release

Tenth Annual Marina International

Festival of the Winds

Marina State Beach & Glorya Jean Tate Park, Highway 1 and Reservation Road on the Monterey Bay

Mother's Day Weekend, Saturday, May 9, 10AM - 5:30PM and Sunday, May 10, 11AM - 5:00PM

The Festival is turning TEN this year!  And we’ve got some amazing sponsors to thank, both new and loyal friends who have stepped up, even in this economy, to help the Marina International Festival of the Winds continue in the tradition of a free family event over Mother’s Day weekend.  If you haven’t heard about the festival, we celebrate a phenomenon that is not always ideal, but is pretty much a constant in Marina – the wind.  The way we celebrate is by creating opportunities to take advantage of this super power. 

At Glorya Jean Tate Park, the focus is on kites.  Whether you bring your own, make your own at the kite making workshop from 1-3 on Saturday, watch our kite professionals fly their giant kites, or buy one, there will be lots of kites! And that’s not all.  There are more activities at the Park that are wind-related that include art and science projects in the Kid’s Make ‘n Take Tent, thanks to Marina Youth Arts, the City of Marina, and the National Weather Service.  And you can’t forget the FREE giant inflatable air park.  When we say giant, it is.  This is not your typical “bouncy house” equipment.  Also, if you feel like you need a check up, the A.J. Robinson Health screening van will be available both days.  And if this isn’t enough we’ve got some great music and entertainment lined at the Park. Los Arboles Middle School will be giving us a preview of their production of Aladdin on Saturday at 11:30 am, followed by the music of Red Beans and Rice, and on Sunday, we will have our traditional Mother’s Day welcome by the Shinsho Mugen Daiko Japanese Drums, also at 11:30, followed by the music of 8 Second Ride.  So if you join us at the Park, plan to eat great food, visit and BUY from our vendors, participate (or not), and bring a blanket so you can stay awhile.  The Park is the place to be for family activities and FUN. 

If you are interested in seeing professional competitions, Marina State Beach is the place to be.   Once the wind graces us with her presence, the skies over Marina State Beach will be filled with hang gliders, some of whom have come from around the world, to compete for prize money.  Lee Gardner with Coastal Condors says plans are to compete from 11am to 3pm both Saturday and Sunday, wind permitting of course.  If you are interested in seeing part of last year’s hang gliding event, check out the video on our website: www.marinafestival.com in last year’s photos.  If you prefer to keep your focus more on the waves than on the skies, there will be a skim boarding competition at noon on Saturday, thanks to our friends at On the Beach Surf Shop in Monterey.  These guys have skills too!  So either way the Beach is definitely a place to be this year. 

Plan to help us celebrate our 10th year over Mother’s Day weekend, May 9 and 10.  Bring the family, and join the fun!

For more information, updates and details, please see the Event Schedule on our website: www.marinafestival.com.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

City of Marina, Wells Fargo Bank, Pebble Beach Company, Marina Beach Real Estate, El Rancho Mobile Homes, Marshall and Joan Reeves, Salinas Pawn Inc., Coastal Condors, On the Beach Surf Shop, Knights of Columbus, St. Jude's Church, American Legion Post 694, Holiday Inn Express, Marina Chamber of Commerce, Waste Management, First Alarm, First Pacific Financial Services, Wal-Mart, Dole Fresh Vegetables, 7-Eleven, Builders Exchange of the Monterey Peninsula, United Rentals, Unlimited Events, Monterey County Herald, and the Marina Gazette.