Nothing screams free-and-easy more than a sky full of kites. And full the skies will be during the kite festival on Santa Monica beach. Everyone receives his or her own free, unique kite along with a color theory lesson.

Kite builders and aficionados (many from nearby Otis College of Art and Design) sail their wares, large and small.  Kite makers from across the United States also showcase their work and create a “gallery in the sky.”

The event also features a workshop for kids focusing on the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) principles involved in kite-making, blending ideas of physics of flight, wind, climate, and sustainable materials with color theory, art, and design.

This year’s festival honors alumnus Tom Van Sant,  a legendary artist whose practice bridges the intersection of space and art.

Parking costs $12 at the Pier lot; 90 minutes of free parking is available in city lots on 2nd Street for those who don’t mind walking a couple of blocks.