FLYING HIGH

Kites: Age-old hobby gives new generation of fans a lift

When Kay and Larry Day came across a kite shop while vacationing in Wisconsin nearly two decades ago, they decided to buy kites for their grandchildren. On a whim, Larry bought one for himself.

“He went out and flew it and decided he needed to go back and get a better one,” Kay recalled.

Since then, the couple — particularly Larry — have been hooked on kite flying. They own dozens of kites, plan vacations around flying them and organize an annual winter kite-flying festival in their hometown of Clear Lake, Iowa.

“I’m at peace when I’m flying,” said Larry, 72. “It’s something unique that I do.”

While the hobby might be unusual, it has a long history as a pastime for adults and children. The practice of flying fabric on the end of a string began more than 2,000 years ago in China. Since then, kites have been used to conduct scientific experiments, power surfboards, take aerial photos and much more.

“Kite flying is really a broad subject,” said Nic O’Neill, president of the American Kitefliers Association. “There is a kind of a kite for everybody out there. It’s a solo, partner and family sport.”

For many, the activity involves something more than recreation, she said. Kites appeal to artistic people who like to create works of art to fly in the sky; to engineer-types who try to improve on the kite’s design; and to performers who like to develop kite-flying routines choreographed to music.

“The best thing about it is you can come at it from different points in your life and have it be a completely different experience,” O’Neill said.

Grant Lovett began flying “dime-store” kites as a kid but moved on to more expensive and sophisticated kites as an adult, including a 42-foot inflatable kite.

Today, he enjoys making his own, crafting them from nylon, Mylar and cloth designed for boat sails. “I’ve always been interested in stuff that flies,” he said. “It’s really fascinating to see something I made up in the air.”

He enjoys taking his creations to festivals and events and sharing them with others. He attends kite-making workshops and looks for new patterns online. “I don’t make tons and tons of the same thing,” he says.

P.V. NGUYEN VIA AP From right, Scott Weider, Cardin Nguyen and Linda Marsland are shown flying kites in the fog at Long Beach, Wash.

STEVE NICOL VIA AP A typical display of giant show kites found each year on Labor Day weekend at the Kites Over Lake Michigan festival in Two Rivers, Wis.

P.V. NGUYEN VIA AP Left, and Cardin Nguyen are shown holding their kites and enjoy flying and competing at the Washington State International Kite Festival in Long Beach, Wash.

STEVE NICOL VIA AP 120 ft. long giant show kites framed by a 30 ft. high “Crown” spinner are shown at the Kites Over Lake Michigan festival in Two Rivers, Wis.

STEVE NICOL VIA AP In this photo, a father and his young son experience the joy of flying a kite together for the first time at Veterans Park in Milwaukee, Wis.

STEVE NICOL VIA AP Two of the “Zoo” kites owned by LeAnn and Dennis Lauer of Kaukauna, Wis., are on display at the Kites Over Lake Michigan festival that takes place every year on Labor Day weekend in Two Rivers, Wis.