GO FLY A KITE! DAY

Kite flying festival combined with Healthy Kids Day

The skies filled with bright colors and many varieties of kites for the 31st annual Go Fly a Kite! Day at the Youth Recreation Facility in Bern Township.

“We love Fly a Kite! Day,” said Christian Ruhl, 6, who attends Go Fly a Kite Day every year with his Nana and PopPop.

Steve Messner was named Newspaper Kite Division Grand Champion for the second year in a row.

Children could make their own kites in the Sled Kite Workshop and fly kites. Also, professional kiters demonstrated their kite flying skills but sometimes even the pros get their kite tangled in a tree.

Go Fly a Kite! Day and Healthy Kids Day is presented by the Berks County Parks and Recreation Department and the YMCA of Reading & Berks County. The festival was once again combined with a countywide Healthy Kids Day organized by local YMCAs with health and wellness information and screenings, healthy food and games.

The Youth Recreational Facility complex was filled with activities for young and youngat-heart.

Celia Hauk, 6, of Mt. Penn, flew her dragon, unicorn, heart, ‘sled kite’ she made at Go Fly a Kite! Day in the Sled Kite Workshop.

Abigayle Witinski, 10, of

Leesport, completed a scavenger hunt.

Brianna Ney, 8, of Bernville, decorated a stone with a kite she plans to hide as part of Berks County Rocks! YMCA of Reading & Berks County provided the rocks and Reading Public Library volunteered to run the rock decorating booth.

Reading Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center students volunteered to paint faces.

At the Healthy kids, Farm to Fork (Plant/ grow your own veggies) stand, Jennifer Brooks, Environmental Education Program Manager for Berks County Parks Department, helped children plant tomatoes and chocolate sweet peppers in compostable newspaper pots. Farm to Fork is a program designed to help kids make the connection between food and where it comes from.

JESI YOST — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Berks County residents flew kites at the 31st annual Go Fly a Kite! Day on at the Youth Recreation Facility in Bern Township.

JESI YOST — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Berks County residents flew kites at the 31st annual Go Fly a Kite! Day at the Youth Recreation Facility in Bern Township. Pictured, Lexie F., 10, of Blandon with her sled kite creation.

JESI YOST — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Tara Hirschtritt, 9, and Paige Hirschtritt, 6, of Leesport, pose in a farmer and carrot face cutout.

JESI YOST — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Celia Hauk, 6, of Mt. Penn, with her with her dragon, unicorn, heart, sled kite she made at Go Fly a Kite and Healthy Kids Day in Bern Township.

JESI YOST — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Berks County residents flew kites at the 31st annual Go Fly a Kite! Day at the Youth Recreation Facility in Bern Township.

JESI YOST — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Pictured with his son, Oliver, Steve Messner was named Newspaper Kite Division Grand Champion for the second year in a row.

JESI YOST — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Members of the Shirley, Barclay, and King families gather at Go Fly a Kite and Healthy Kids Day at Berks County Youth Recreation Facility in Bern Township.