The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will be hosting the 13th annual Lake Harriet Winter Kite Festival this January.

Events for the whole family will be featured such as ice fishing for kids, snowshoeing, horse-drawn wagon rides and a toasty marshmallow roast.

Nikki Friederich, Minneapolis Park and Recreation board and committee chair member for the festival, said attendance has been increasing substantially over the two years she has been apart of planning the event. She said last year there were over 4,000 attendees at the festival.

“It has grown and grown over the years from a little neighborhood event to a big, almost nationwide event,” Friederich said. “The numbers keep growing and people keep coming because we are getting the word out there and people are wanting to check it out.”

Friederich said surrounding neighborhoods such as East Harriet and Linden Hills have sponsored the event and it has brought people from out of the city together with locals.

“This is a really fun outdoor event in the middle of winter,” Friederich said. “It brings people into the city and gives this different outdoor element that people have never had before.”

According to Friederich, hot beverages will be provided by food trucks, along with food and other treats. Items used for snowshoeing and ice fishing will also be provided on site.

“It is a breathtaking view with all the kites flying and of course Lake Harriet is beautiful in itself at the Bandshell,” Freiderich said.

Junior Aleiha Boyle said the Lake Harriet Kite Festival is a good opportunity for many local communities to come together.

“It is unique because it is something that does not involve technology,” Boyle said. “St. Louis Park students would enjoy it because they always cherish get-togethers and moments where we can do things as a school.”

Kites will be available for purchase at the festival as well as instruction from Minneapolis Kite Society experts, who will demonstrate their kite flying abilities throughout the day.

The festival will be held at the north end of Lake Harriet near the Bandshell on Jan. 17. More information can be found at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=760&SearchID=569280 .