Teenagers are an integral part in organising this year?s Good Friday kite-flying bonanza at Horseshoe Bay.

For more than a decade the United Bermuda Party has hosted a kite competition and family fun day at the South Shore beach. This year the party?s youth wing has come up with a new format for the popular kite festival.

?We want to attract the youth and do things that cause them to gravitate to us,? said 18-year old Christa Schweizer one of this years teen organisers. ? We?ve lined up UDP (United Dance Productions), some choirs and rappers including Ninja Cutty.?

The popular local rap artist has recently created a rap about Hamilton greeter Johnny Barnes. The song has proved so popular that a dance where everyone waves, is a spin-off creation.

In a move the organisers think will draw crowds, Ninja Cutty will take to the stage alongside Mr. Barnes performing his hit Johnny Barnes. But Mr. Cutty will be only one of several local rappers to perform on Friday.

Joshua Santucci of Hitmanrecords said he?ll be dishing out a mix of conscious music including hip-hop and reggae. No stranger to a live audience he said he has a busy perform,ance schedule. Most recently he sang at an appreciation reception at Bermuda College?s Student Centre.

Of course the kite competition will remain central to the day?s activities with a new air brushing category added.

?Taking it to the next level?, is the title of this year?s event and Young United?s Gina Spence-Farmer said the organising committee has done just that.

The committee has been meeting on Wednesday evenings for several weeks deciding the target audience and how to attract them. Christa Schweizer said each week the committee divvied up the assignments. ?Then when we meet we hand our work in ? it was fun,? she said.

But the real satisfaction for Ms Schweizer will be seeing her work become a reality. ?It?s been a positive experience bringing your ideas to something that is going to happen,? she said.

The kite festival begins at 11a.m. on Good Friday (rain date:Saturday March 26). It will be hosted by Patrina Paynter, the Power Girl from Power95 radio. Gombeys, a limbo show and plenty of fish cakes will be on hand.

?High winds last week and over the weekend are exciting local kite enthusiasts as Good Friday fast approaches.

Skies across the Island should be sheeted with colourful kites but planes will need to land safely. To enable this, the Department of Airport Operations is reminding the public that flying kites near the airport is dangerous. Kite flying is strictly prohibited at Kindley Field Park, Kindley Field Road, Clearwater Beach, Southside and Ferry Reach.