There are weekends on the Oregon Coast when the wind is something you plan around, and then there are weekends when the wind becomes the whole reason to go. From September 25 through 27, 2026, Lincoln City will turn its famously breezy shoreline into a playground of color as the Fall Kite Festival fills the sky with enormous flying whales, squid, octopuses and other creatures that look as if they escaped from a very cheerful dream.

This year brings one especially important change. The festival is temporarily moving away from its traditional home at D River State Recreation Site and heading to the beach beside Chinook Winds Casino Resort. Construction on Lincoln City’s new Welcome Center is underway at D River, so organizers are partnering with Chinook Winds to keep one of the coast’s most joyful traditions flying.

The new location may be different, but the heart of the festival is very much intact. Professional fliers, giant show kites, a walk-through Wind Garden, art kites, carnival games and free kite making are all scheduled for the weekend. Best of all, the celebration begins Friday evening with a glowing Night Fly over the beach.

A Sky Full of Whales, Squid and Color

Lincoln City has long been one of Oregon’s great kite towns, and the Fall Kite Festival shows exactly why. When the wind cooperates, the professional field becomes a moving gallery where fabric creatures swim through the air, long tails ripple above the surf and precision kites dart and turn in tight formation. The Pacific makes a pretty spectacular backdrop.

The giant kites are the stars people remember, especially the sea creatures that seem perfectly at home above the waves. A whale hanging over the beach can look almost real for half a second, while an enormous octopus drifting overhead tends to stop both kids and adults in their tracks. Add featured fliers performing throughout the day and the whole shoreline takes on the energy of an outdoor circus.

The festival is free and designed for families, but it’s just as fun for photographers, longtime kite fans and anyone who likes their coast trips with a little whimsy. Visitors can wander between displays, watch demonstrations and tour the Big Kite Field without needing to know a thing about bridles, spars or wind windows.

Friday Night Fly Lights Up the Beach

Friday, September 25, is more than an early arrival day. From 7 to 9 p.m., illuminated kites are scheduled to rise over the beach for the festival’s Night Fly, turning the darkening sky into a glowing performance above the Pacific.

This is one of the strongest reasons to make a full weekend of the 2026 festival. Daytime kites are bright and playful, but lighted kites after sunset have an entirely different mood. They hover like lanterns, trace moving shapes in the darkness and create the kind of Oregon Coast memory that is nearly impossible to capture in a single photo.

Pixie Fest carnival games are also scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, with donations benefiting the Kiwanis Club of Lincoln City. Free shuttle service for the Night Fly is expected to run continuously from about 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Because beach weather can change quickly in September, bring a warm layer and check the official schedule before leaving.

Saturday and Sunday Bring the Main Festival

The main festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27. Each morning begins with announcements and an opening performance, followed by professional kite demonstrations through the afternoon. The Wind Garden, Art Kite Display, giant show kites and Pixie Fest carnival games are scheduled throughout both days.

One of the biggest moments is the Mega Fly, planned for approximately 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. This is when the fliers take the field together, crowding the sky with motion and color in a spectacle that lives up to its name. Tours of the Big Kite Field are scheduled from about 2 to 3 p.m., giving visitors a closer look at the immense kites and the people who know how to keep them airborne.

Sunday also includes a kite-flier memorial from approximately 11 to 11:20 a.m. It’s a quieter tradition within an otherwise lively weekend, honoring members of the kite community who have passed away.

Kids Can Make a Kite of Their Own

Free kite-making workshops are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It’s one of the festival’s sweetest traditions, giving kids the chance to build something with their own hands before watching some of the world’s biggest show kites dance overhead. Donations from the workshop benefit Family Promise of Lincoln County.

Visitors should know that personal kites cannot be flown on the professional festival field. That space is reserved for featured fliers and organized performances, which helps keep the crowded display area safe. If your new kite is begging for the sky, there are other stretches of Lincoln City’s seven miles of beach where personal kite flying is welcome.

Parking and Free Festival Shuttles

For 2026, designated festival parking is listed around Chinook Winds Casino Resort, 1st Choice Fresh Market and the top level of the parking structure at the Lincoln City Outlets. Free shuttles are scheduled to run continuously between the designated parking areas and the festival beach from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Friday Night Fly shuttle service is scheduled for approximately 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The official parking guide was still marked “coming soon” when this story was published, so visitors should check the official Lincoln City Fall Kite Festival page for the final map, pickup points and any last-minute changes before driving into town.

The temporary Chinook Winds location is the big logistical difference this year. Don’t automatically head for D River out of habit, and don’t rely on a parking screenshot from a previous festival. Construction, weather and crowd conditions can all affect the final plan.

Dogs, Food and Festival Gear

Leashed dogs are welcome on the beach, and service animals are permitted at the festival and aboard the shuttles. Owners should bring waste bags, keep pets under control and remember that a busy field full of flapping fabric, lines and excited children can be overwhelming for some dogs.

Bristo’s Place Food Truck is expected onsite with hot dogs, burgers, Indian tacos and more. Scout Northwest Trading Company is also scheduled to sell festival-logo apparel and merchandise. If you want a broader mix of meals during the weekend, our guide to Lincoln City’s Pines Dine food truck village is a useful place to start.

Turn the Festival Into an Oregon Coast Weekend

Late September is a wonderful time to linger in Lincoln City. The crowds of midsummer have begun to ease, the evenings feel crisp and the first hints of fall arrive in the Coast Range. Start with our guide to the best things to do, eat and see in Lincoln City if you want to build a full itinerary around the festival.

Travelers coming from farther away can use our complete Oregon Coast map and travel guide to connect the kite festival with nearby beaches, towns and scenic stops. Depoe Bay and Newport are easy additions to a central coast trip, and September still falls within the season when resident gray whales are often spotted offshore. Our Oregon Coast whale-watching guide includes viewpoints and tour ideas if you want to look for the real thing after watching kite whales breach the clouds.

However you plan the weekend, leave room for the weather to have a vote. Kite schedules are always wind dependent, and organizers note that times may change because of weather or other circumstances. That uncertainty is part of life on the coast, where the same breeze that musses your hair can turn an ordinary patch of sky into the best show in town.

Lincoln City Fall Kite Festival 2026 Details

• Dates: Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27, 2026
• Location: Beach beside Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City
• Friday Night Fly: 7 to 9 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Free kite making: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
• Mega Fly: Approximately 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
• Big Kite Field tours: Approximately 2 to 3 p.m.
• Sunday memorial: Approximately 11 to 11:20 a.m.
• Admission: Free
• Parking: Designated areas near Chinook Winds, 1st Choice Fresh Market and the top level of the Lincoln City Outlets parking structure
• Shuttles: Friday approximately 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday approximately 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Dogs: Leashed dogs are welcome on the beach
• Reminder: The event schedule is weather dependent and subject to change

For current schedule updates and the final parking guide, check with Explore Lincoln City before your trip.