Basant Mela

On March 26 this year we decided to go outside and enjoy a culture other than our own!  We found out about the local Pakistan Event Basant Mela and felt it would be perfect for our little ones.  Basant Mela is the Kite Festival.  We both wondered if there would be a great mixing of mainly people from Pakistan at the festival.  I was surprised at just how many showed!

When we first got there only a few kits could be seen from the parking lot.  As we walked closer you could see more and more and having never seen a kite before my daughter was beyond excited!  We decided to start by visiting a few of the vendors to see what they had and naturally we had to stop at the Copper Kettle's booth and try one of there two sample plates offered for the festival.

We sat down to eat and the food was amazing!  The Samsoa and the Pakari was delicious, I can't remember what the third item on my plate was but as you can see I started gobbling it up before thinking I should take a picture of this to share with my readers.  Sorry about that one.  We made a decision to make sure and go to this restaurant on a date night!

By this time there had to be over 50 kites in the sky and more going up.  One of the vendors gave the kids free balloons and my son whom is always calm just stared at it and then ate his snacks from his stroller.

My daughter however couldn't stop running as if it were a kite!













She ran this way.....













and that way....












and then we decided to stand in line for a kite.









The kite was not as good as the balloon for two reasons, one I have no idea how to fly a kite (sad I know)

and two she wouldn't stop running and kept getting tangled in the string.

My husband took over and the kids had a blast chasing the kite's tail which they eventually tore off, but were having such a good time no one cared.










By the time we left there had to be about a hundred kites in the air and their was a good mixture of people from all cultures there to celebrate one cultures event, which I feel is amazing!  I loved seeing this little girl in her red dress amid all the action, along side my two running about showing just how much we are still a melting pot for those of all cultures.




Because the first plate was so good, we had to try the other plate of food and I remembered the picture this time.  We both loved the chicken which had an oddly long delay to the spiciness which creep-ed in and had me going, huh when it presented, but it was still amazing.  The rice was awesome as well.  Neither of us Favorited the chick pea dish on this plate even though we loved the chick pea dish on the first plate.  It had more of a peanuty/nutty flavor and it didn't mix well for me.  

All in all it was a blast and I think everyone should check their area around this time next year to see if their community is having a Basant Mela!  Now, Go Fly A KITE!