Up, Up And Away

KITE FESTIVAL TAKES OFF SATURDAY

The weather was perfect last year for a kite-flying day and organizers are hoping for the same for the 15th annual Cane Hill Kite Festival on Saturday.

The festival starts at noon at Springfield Ranch in downtown Canehill on Highway 45 and goes as long as children, parents and other adults want to hang out and fly kites. Usually, the day ends about 4:30-5 p.m.

T.A. Sampson, owner of the ranch, started the kite festival 15 years ago as a way to provide a low-cost activity for families.

One afternoon when she was in her upper pasture on her farm, she realized the area was always windy. The idea came to her to organize a kite festival as a family activity. She began talking to people about sponsoring the event so she could keep the costs low for families.

The fee to fly a kite is $1 for children and $2 for adults. It is free for active and retired military and is free to park and watch. For those who do not have a kite, kites will be available for sale, costing $1 up to $10. Friends of Prairie Grove Pound will provide concessions for sale.

Other activities during the day include a 50-cent raffle and a large, nylon kite will be given away at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Visitors can only purchase one raffle ticket to give everyone an equal chance at winning a new kite.

Many volunteers help out during the day by repairing or assembling kites or being available to help children fly their kites.

Other fun prizes are given away for silly contests, Sampson said. She may give a prize for the highest kite at 1 p.m., the best father-daughter team or the best dragon kite.

For more information, call 479-824-8109 or go to canehillkitefest@aol.com. In case of rain/snow, the Kite Festival will be postponed to March 12.

FILE PHOTO Julie Moore of Prairie Grove helps her daughter, Addison Moore, fly a kite during the 14th annual Cane Hill Kite Festival last year.