World Kite Museum and Washington State International Kite Festival in Long Beach, Washington

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Wednesday's Events

Paint me Patriotic
Scott Slater, Event Director
All Day Event

Fly your red, white and blues all day everywhere including Field B after 12 noon.

Judging will be from 2:00 – 4:00p.m.

Categories include:

Biggest piece (kite or line laundry)in the sky
Most impressive display on one line
Most kites, banners and stuff from one family

Senior Fighter Kite Challenge
Chuck Lund, Event Director
10:00a.m. – noon Field B

O.K., here's a scary scenario: Twenty or so of the oldest fighter kite flyers on the beach flying the smallest, fastest, and most agile competition kites in the world in an heroic, yet often absurd effort to show the world how skillful they are. These Seniors, using their little single-line kites, try to accomplish a series of highly skillful maneuvers while being timed against a clock. (Actually, most of them do better at this than they do at remembering where they are...and why.) Most kiteflyers over 50 years of age are mature enough to realize they've already had enough stress and failure in their lives without purposefully adding more. But not fighter kite flyers. These guys eat stress for breakfast, laugh at their failures, and cheer their successes like children who don't know any better.

Held the 3rd Full Week of August Each Year:
August 18-24, 2008
August 17-23, 2009

Click for SandSations sand sculpture contest

Kids for Today Day Events Glenda Kleppin and Jerry Graham Field Directors Events #1 and #2: All day, everywhere (Judging from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.) Event #3: Field A 11:30 – 12:30p.m. Registration: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Please join Washington Kitefliers Association and other WSIKF participants in an effort to make the sport of kiting more accessible to our youngest spectators. Judging in all of the events will be based on showing kites, ground displays, and anything else that will particularly appeal to the “under 14" crowd. Please include things like: kids’ songs; books; cartoons and comics; nursery rhymes; movies; and TV characters. Judges will have wide discretion in awarding points and can probably be bribed or otherwise influenced. (Chocolate is a good choice.) Ribbons will be awarded to the winners of each event. Winners will also receive special recognition at the WKA Spaghetti Feed on Wednesday night. The events are as follows: Event 1: Best Kids’ Camp: Join with your friends or work alone to set up a camp display that appeals specifically to kids–either current themes like Madagascar or Harry Potter, or more classic themes. Kids like things they can touch and see up close and they love learning about the history of kites, how to make kitesm, and how to identify the different kinds of kites. You will earn extra points if you have educational displays and/or actual kite making activities taking place at your camp. Let’s get kids hooked on something good while they are young and impressionable! Event #2: Best Group of Kids’ Kites: Not enough time, energy, or stuff to set up a whole camp? Then just come up with a display of at least six items that especially appeal to kids. Remember, you are not being judged on the “biggest” display, just the most kid-friendly one. Event #3: Foster Grandparent Fun Fly: This event is similar to a Mass Ascension with a few extra twists. All flying must be done in “grandparent/grandchild” pairs. KIDS: Sign up ahead of time to volunteer to be adopted as a “foster grandchild” for the event. Register early for the best chance of being chosen. ADULTS: Register early, certifying that you have a kite for your “foster grandchild” and will make an effort to teach them to fly it properly. The first 100 adults to register and fly will earn a WKA pin for their effort. The top 10 kite-pairs will be awarded a special “Kid’s Day” pin, designed by Jack Judd. Ribbons will be awarded for the three top kite-pairs. The rules are as follows: 1. All “adult” kiters must be accompanied by a child under the age of 14, and all kids under 14 who want to fly must be sponsored by a “foster grandparent”. Adults can provide their own grandchild or to temporarily adopt grandchildren from the sign-up list. 2. Each “adult” will provide a kite for their “foster grandchild” to fly and keep, either hand-crafted or commercial. There will be a few extra kites available for those who come unprepared or you can purchase something at the World Kite Museum tent on the beach. 3. The “adults” will teach their “grandchild” how to safely and successfully fly the gift kite. Most of the “adults” will be experienced kiters who can give the “grandchildren” actual one- on-one, hands-on tutoring. We anticipate that many of the children will probably be from “spectator” families, may have never flown a kite before, and may have no one in their family experienced and/or patient enough to provide proper kite selection and flying instructions.	Children’s Events 10:00a.m., Field A Every child will receive a prize. Children should go directly to the flying field. They do NOT need to register for this event. A large turnout may result in more age groups being added to this event. 0-4 years - with or without parents help. This age group will have a chance to show their stuff. No competition. 5-9 years - participants may be coached, but may not receive physical assistance Sprint: At the signal, you will run between two points without your kite touching the ground. Reel Out: At the signal, kites are launched and reeled out until the next signal. Winners are the children with the most line out. 10-14 years - May not receive any assistance Sprint: At the signal, you will run between two points without your kite touching the ground. Reel Out: At the signal, kites are launched and reeled out until the next signal. Winners are the children with the most line out.
	John Freeman Kite Fly John Freeman, Event Director 1:00 p.m., Field B For all of you who have made quilted kites (Bargello, etc) at one of the Museum workshops, this is the time to show them off! Let’s get them in the air and wow the crowd.
	Fighter Kite Showcase Sponsored by North America Fighter Kite Association 1p.m., Field A Members of the North America Fighter Kite Association will explain the history of Fighter Kites and also will demonstrate the versatility of these small and highly maneuverable single line kites. Sheep & Wolf: In this game the flyers will demonstrate how cutting line works. The sheep will fly on cotton line and the wolf will attempt to cut the kites out of the sky using the traditional cutting line called manja. As is customary in most of the Fighter Kite competitions in foreign countries, once a kite is cut from the sky, then the person who retrieves it gets to keep it. Remember, the kites are made of tissue paper and bamboo and are very fragile. Hint: to retrieve a kite you will most likely need to be on the boardwalk or in the dunes. Because of the danger presented by the wolf’s cutting line, please do not enter the flying field.
	Kid’s Kite Making 1:00-4:00 p.m., Kite making tent This annual event is sponsored by the World Kite Museum.
	Senior Ballet Mike & Terry Huff, Event Directors 2:30–4:00p.m., Field A Competitors must be 50 years old or older - This competition will be judged on music selection which should include change of tempo or mood suited to kite flying, smoothness of movements to show control and flow of music, number and variety of moves, innovation and over-all enthusiasm. Performances are limited to 5 minutes.
	Red, White & Blue Individual Rokkaku Battle Scott Slater, Event Director 4:00p.m., Fields A & B This event will follow the same rules as on Tuesday with the following additions: 1 extra point for red, white & blue kites 1 extra point for seniors 50+ 1 extra point for costumes Gloves are MANDATORY.