Up in the Air

This weekend, the 10th Annual Kite Festival was held on South Padre Island. The weather was near perfect for the event . . . enough wind for kite flying, not so windy as to be uncomfortable, and partly sunny with temperatures in the high 60's.
















A large crowd of spectators was on hand, equipped with lawn chairs and cameras.

Tents were set up for displays, a silent auction, T-shirt vendors, and food vendors, including hot coffee . . . but, alas, no hot chocolate . . . and no beer.

But the show was not on the ground . . . the whole show was "Up in the Air".






Participants came from all over the country. I'm not aware of any competition or awards, but I witnessed many demonstrations of single kite fliers working with "stunt kites" performing to music. They were amazing, like a ballet in the sky. They would set up their kite on the ground, then take-off when the music started and perform routines in time with the music.


Also they gave demonstrations of four performers working together in unison like the Blue Angels. But the most amazing demonstration was performed by a group of ten kite fliers performing in unison. The announcer said these ten fliers were from all over the country and had practiced together for only one hour.

The picture here is of the ten kites lined up on the ground just before takeoff. When the music began, they took off one by one following in line, then began acrobatics in unison in time with the music.







The pictures below show some of the stunts, follow-the-leader through s-curves and circles, dancing in formation, arranging in a circle, then "exploding" in all directions.

















When you stop to think that each kite had four lines to it, the ten performing kites had a total of forty lines. How did the fliers keep from getting their lines all tangled up?

















I just have to get one of those kites so I can get mine "Up in the Air".