Monday, March 20, 2006
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Go fly a kite
All types, shapes and sizes of kites take flight at this weekend festival
By
Lori Beckman
Go fly a kite!
Go fly a kite—and we don’t mean to be rude. We mean it’s that time of year when the March and April winds are blowing, making for perfect kite-flying weather. What a better way to kick off the season than to dust off the family’s kites or to make or purchase a kite to fly at a one-of-a-kind festival.
The 2nd annual WGUC Airwaves Kite Fest, Saturday, April 1 and Sunday April 2, at the Voice of America (VOA) Park in West Chester is a family event designed for those who love to watch, fly or build kites—or for those who think they might.
New to the free event this year is the Saturday evening “night fly” in which Pigs Aloft, a local professional kite-flying club, will illuminate its kites with small flashlights and glow sticks as the kites fly through the night sky beginning at 7:30 p.m. Kids can also fly their kites inside the VOA building at that time, according to Kevin Reynolds, community relations manager for WGUC 90.9 FM.
Beginning at 6 p.m. prior to the night fly, there will be a chance for kids to make a kite. The materials will be provided and lined up in assembly line format as a five-step process. “This is our major kids’ activity,” Reynolds said. “Last year, 717 kites were made in about four and a half hours. The kids love seeing their own kites fly.”
A display of unique and artistic kites will be available to browse Saturday evening as well. “Inside the VOA building, they have taken what used to be a garage and carpeted part of it. Here, we will have the display of kites that artists have created as well as other unique kites that members of Pigs Aloft don’t fly anymore,” he explained.
The kite fest really takes flight on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. when visitors can fly their own kites in the open fly field, kids can make a kite or kites can be purchased from a specialty kite vendor on site and then flown. “Last year, we created our own mini-sled kite that fits in a pocket and had a keychain at the end with the WGUC logo on it,” Reynolds explained. The same kite will be sold again this year for $5.
Not only is the festival hands on, but it also offers amazing sights to see, as the professional kite flying exhibits take place on Sunday. In the Big Show Kite Field, the eight-member Pigs Aloft will fly its big kites for the crowd. “Last year, one gentleman had a kite that was 100-feet long and 20-feet tall,” Reynolds added. “There are also kites in the shape of birds. Another flyer has a kite that looks like the bottom half of a soccer player. The feet are each 10-feet long.”
Other kite-flying exhibits will be performed by the Chicago Fire kite-flying troupe, whose hobby is to present stunts and aerial acrobatics to the crowd. They will perform from noon to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Tours of the VOA Museum will be available, along with concessions and other kids’ activities.
Although it is ideal to have wind for a kite festival, it isn’t necessary. In fact, according to Reynolds, last year the festival wasn’t on a windy day, but still the turnout was successful. Requests ran rampant to hold the festival again this year. “The professionals don’t need wind to fly a kite, and the kids fly kites by running with them. The intermediate kite flyers would like a good gust, but to have the festival, it isn’t necessary,” he explained. “The people who are really into flying want to do it whenever they have a chance, wind or no wind.”
The idea of having such a festival initially was brought on by WGUC wanting to do a free family event that was original. “Our president and general manager is a member of Pigs Aloft,” Reynolds said. “He realized that there wasn’t a kite fest around here, so Pigs Aloft contacted Chicago Fire to get them involved, too.”
Although the festival has free admission, volunteers from the West Chester Amateur Radio Club will provide parking services for a recommended donation of $2 per vehicle with proceeds going to the restoration and preservation of the VOA Museum.
Airwaves Kite Fest is present by WGUC, Time Warner Cable, West Chester Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Division, VOA Park, Cincinnati Marriott North, Gold Star Chili and Pigs Aloft.
For directions to Voice of America Park, visit the Airwaves Kite Fest Web site.
Lori Beckman is a production manager at Gardner Publications and is a Cincinnati native.
