The Washington State International Kite Festival (WSIKF) is a week-long kite celebration and competition held annually during the third full week of August.

Starting on Monday and ending on Sunday this Long Beach, Washington State vacation extravaganza boasts skies ablaze with color, high flying action and choreographed movement. Washington’s Kite Festival draws famous kite fliers from all around the world, and tens of thousands awed spectators, many of which participate in the fun with their own kite flying adventures.

Schedule:

Monday, August 21, 2023

Kite Trains & Arches

Registration at 8:00am, Tent #2
8:00am–2:00pm, Field A
Judging at 10:00am

Amy Curry — Event Director

Awards will be given in four categories: Trains, Ohashi Arches, European Arches and Stunt Kite Stacks. The longest arrangement plus other awards will be given at the judges’ whim.

Fighter Kite Workshop

11:00–12:00pm, Tent #2

Robert Loera — Event Director

This year Robert will be conducting a comprehensive workshop on the art of the fighter kite. Topics will include a discussion on the various fighter kites of the world and their differences. Kites including Tahara, Buka, Korean, Indian,american fighter and many others will be discussed.

Sport Kite Stacks

2:00–3:30pm, Field A

Team Flying Dragon — Event Coordinators

Awards will be given for the Most Colorful and the Best Routine. Music is not necessary. In stack flying, pilots control not one, but multiple sport kites linked together, creating a performance that is as spectacular as it is physically challenging. Get ready to beamazed by the individual displays and daring team maneuvers of the kite fliers, all set against a backdrop of vibrant colors and music. This event promises to be an unforgettable experience, filled with fun, thrills, and picture- perfect views.

The Sport Kite Stack Fly has been a beloved tradition of the festival for many years. In 2019, we set a world record for the largest number of stacks flown at once with 127 quadline kites by 20 pilots. Each year we strive to make the event even more spectacular.

Dog Stake – Short Line Demos

2:00–3:30pm, Field A

Bob Wendt — Event Director

Did you ever have to fly a sport kite where there is not much room? At various times throughout the day we will have sport kite fliers show how to do it with short lines or dog stakes. What is a dog stake? To fly using a dog stake you run your fly lines through a pulley staked to the ground and stand under your kite while it flies. It can make for some fascinating interactions between the flier and the kite!

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Camera Workshop

9:30am, Red & White Activities Tent on the Approach

J Brunner of J Brunner Fine Art Gallery

J’s former career spans over thirty years of service to some of the most demanding names in communications. The awards of that former career are numerous, including four National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy awards. This extensive motion picture, video, and photographic experience has produced a polymath photographer/print-maker who is at home with almost any legacy or digital process. As a result there is no conventional way to define his space as a print maker. The prints represented on this site are a catalogue of J’s ongoing creations and should in no way be confused with what they represent, as his prints are physical objects to be enjoyed in person. This will take place in the Activities Tent, located on the north side of the Bolstad approach across from the flagpole.

Terrific Tuesday Top Team

Registration at 9:00am, Tent #2

Pam Knight — Event Director

Teams are limited to 10 members. Points are earned for each of the activities on Tuesday’s schedule. Each entrant earns points for participating in addition to the points earned for winning or placing in individual and team events. Clubs, family groups – any group of people who choose to “bond” for the day – may register as a team and accumulate points throughout the day. The winner will earn the right to fly the “Top Team” banner until next year. The winner will be announced at noon on Wednesday.

Club Camp and ROK battle participants can donate their points to a team of their choosing. Look for Pam at the end of the day and give her your points and who you would like to donate them too.

Club Camps

Registration at 9:00am, closes at 10:00am, Tent #2
Judging from 1:00–2:00pm

A “club camp” is a ground display, set up by a particular team. This can include ground art, banners, flags, tents, kites “at rest,” people, pets – use your imagination. Judging is based on color coordination, artistic merit, innovation and overall presentation. Judges probably can be influenced by the presence of things like chocolate and other edibles.

Pun Fun

10:00am–12:30pm, Field A

During this event, different types of kites will be flown together in one area. The idea is to present pleasant visual display in the sky by putting up many kites of a designated type at the same time . Some of the categories lend themselves to allowing a visual pun to occur in the air. A point will be given for each kite flown that fits the category. Points will be credited toward winning the Top Team Banner. There will be 20 minutes dedicated to flying each type of kite. Field crews will begin counting five minutes after the scheduled start time. Flyers are requested to fly their kites until the announcement is made that all kites have been counted. Ten minutes between categories will be allowed to provide time for assembling and disassembling kites. A point will be given for each kite flown that fits the category with a maximum of 50 points in any category. There will be a “Best of Show” award.

PUN FUN CATEGORIES:

DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND: Fly your diamond kites, big and small. Earn an extra point if the flyer at the end of the line is a “girl.” Five bonus points to be awarded to the largest diamond kite on the field.

DELTA DAWN & HAPI TOGETHER: All deltas and delta derivatives to the field, please. Is there a flower on your delta? That’ll earn you an extra point. Everyone wearing a hapi coat will earn an additional point.

PILLOW TALK: All soft “pillowy” kites are invited to the flying field -no sticks allowed! An extra point will be awarded to flyers brave enough to wear their slippers or a night cap on the field.

CRAZY: We’re crazy to think these would ever fly! Bring out your circoflexes, freeform kites, asymmetrical kites, character kites, etc. An extra point will be awarded to anyone wearing a crazy hat. The craziest hat will be awarded 5 bonus points.

TAIL ENHANCES THE KITE: Bring on the TAILS. The longest, brightest, most creative tails will get the most points. Tails that add to the style and design of the kite will earn extra points.

PIECES / PATCHWORK: Some kites are just plain. These won’t be!! They will have lots of pieces, colors, designs, and applique. Maximum points will be awarded to the most creative and challenging use of fabric.

Fighter Kite Demos

12:15–1:15pm, Field A

Robert Loera — Event Coordinator

Robert with assistance from the Northwest fighter kite group will present an on hands workshop including how to launch and fly a fighter kite.

Kites and lines are being provided by the facebook fighter kites.na group. Master fighter kite maker-flier Steven Childers, has donated the handmade kites and lines for the field workshops and demonstrations. Steven has been making fighters for over 25 years.

All of the fighter kite.na groupsamerican fighter kites are no longer made using paper or bamboo. The conditions in the Northwest tend to be on the moist side with stronger winds than paper and bamboo fighters can handle. The kite makers of the fighter kite group have modified the ancient fighter creating a newamerican fighter kite. Non water soluble glues are used, carbon instead of bamboo and space-age Orcon or 1/2 oz ripstop for the sails. Cotton line with a water soluble coating is no longer used in flying fighter kites in the northwest, spectra is the line of choice unaffected by moisture.

Individual Rokkaku Battle

Pilots Meeting 1:00pm, Tent #2
Battle 1:30–3:00pm, Field A

Mike Mosman & Ronda Brewer — Event Coordinators

The individual Rokkaku Battle will feature traditional shaped Japanese Rokkaku battle kites. All participating kites may be no larger than four (4) feet. No Kevlar or cutting line may be used. The judges may disqualify a kite if the construction materials appear to be unsafe. Other safety regulations may be announced if deemed necessary.

Gloves must be worn; hard hats are optional. All kites and line are to be provided by the contestant. The battle will be run in as many heats as time allows. Line length will be limited to 150 feet. During competition, contestants may move about the entire field. A grounded kite must be removed from the field immediately. Kites may not be grounded by intentional physical contact between contestants or between contestants and an opposing kite or line. Only contestants and staff may be on the field during the battle.

SCORING:
Last kite in the air 5 points
Next to last kite 4 points
Second to last 3 points

Every contestant will get 1 point for each kite that they down. Extra points for lights on your hard hat and also for boxing gloves.

Team Rokkaku Battle

Pilots Meeting 3:00pm, Tent #2
Battle 3:15–4:30pm, Field A

This is a team competition, giving teams a chance to demonstrate their skills as a group. The objective is to knock or cut other kites out of the sky using your team’s kites. Gloves are required. AKA competition rules will be used. In order to ensure the safety and maximize the enjoyment of the teams, the following rules will be strictly enforced.

-A team has at least three members. They must fly a tradition (hexagonal) shaped kite. All team members must be on the flying field at the beginning of the competition. The addition of team members from outside the field will result in immediate disqualification and removal of the team from the field. All team members must be holding on to their kite line during the entire competition. Failure to hold on to the line will result in disqualification of the team. Team members must avoid body contact with opposing team members and their lines. Any obvious attempt to make such contact will result in disqualification.
-Sharp objects connected to the line will result in disqualification. Any attempt to cut an opposing team’s line with a knife or other sharp object carried onto the field by a competitor will result in disqualification.
-Members of teams that have been forced down or disqualified must leave the field immediately. They may not make any attempt to interfere with the remaining teams.
-Any team observed not engaging for a 30 second period will be given a 30-second warning. They will be timed by a judge and disqualified if contact is not made. Teams will also be timed for contact on a random basis.
-The judges may stop the competition at any time by sounding a whistle or horn. All competitors must stop in place at the sound. It is expected that this will only occur when an injury has occurred or an unsafe condition is felt to exist on the field. This event is usually run in several heats, with scoring determined by the finishing places of the teams in each heat. The event director will determine the number of heats based on the available time and the condition of the flyers. The judge’s word is final!

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Paint Me Patriotic

Judging will be from 2:00–4:00pm
All day event

Robert Damiano – Event Coordinator

Fly your red, white and blues all day, everywhere, starting from 12:00 noon.

Categories include:
Biggest Piece in The Sky (Kite or Line Laundry)
Most Impressive Display on One Line
Most Kites, Banners and Stuff from One Family
Remember to have fun and the judge’s word is final!

KIDS FOR TODAY EVENTS

Sign-Up Sheets in Tent #2

Bob Wendt — Event Coordinator

Please join WSIKF participants in the effort to make the enjoyment of kiting more accessible to the younger spectator. In 2001, Glenda Kleppin, the WSIKF Kite Fairy, began adding events to the WSIKF program to invite participation of younger kite fliers. In 2019 she decided to retire and passed the WSIKF Kite Fairy duties to Glenda Davenport.

Special Kids Day Pins will be awarded to helpers of the Kite Fairy, Kids Camp participants, Foster Grandparent participants, Enthusiastic Fliers, and Parade of Colors.

19th Annual Foster Grandparents Fun Fly

Kids Age 3-12
9:15am registration at Tent #2
10:00am–11:30am, Field A

James Babst, Brian & Debbie David — Event Coordinators

During this event “Foster Grandparents” are paired up with kids, who select a kite, and are given lessons on how to properly fly/care for it.
For many, the first memory of flying a kite is associated with an outing with an older family member, often a grandparent.
The Foster Grandparent Fun Fly event was inspired by Mariam Schaffler who made and gave away kites to kids at the festivals she attended .
For the first few years of the event, kites were purchased and given out to the kids. Then several years ago Ann Huston started sewing a Fringed
Delta Kite that is given away during the fly. As the popularity of the event grew she enlisted the help of James Babst to help sew kites and cut out kite kits that are given to sewers. For 2023 we have 20 kite makers creating the 200 Handcrafted kites needed this year.

Kite Kits will be available for those who would like to make kites for the 2024 event.

KIDS: The first 200 kids (ages 3-12) to register for this event will be paired with a “Foster Grandparent”, who will help them pick out, and show them how to safely fly their new kite.

ADULTS: The first 75 to register to be a “Foster Grand- parent” will receive a special event pin and share their joy of kite flying with one of the next generation. They will accompany their “Student” for kite selection and then onto the field for flight lessons.

ENTHUSIASTIC FLYER:

During the Foster Grandparents Fun Fly show that you are an Enthusiastic Flyer! Judges will have wide latitude on guessing flyers ages and who are the most Enthusiastic Flyers.

AGE CATEGORIES:

5 and Under
Kids: 6 to 12
Teens: 13 to 20’
Young Adults: 21 to 45
Young Grandparents: 45-ish to 60-ish Grandparents: 60+

KIDS’ Kamps

11:00am–1:00pm, Field B

Sponsored by the World Kite Museum

Join in on the fun! Work with your family and friends to set up a camp display that appeals specifically to kids. Current or classical books, movies, songs, and/or nursery rhymes may provide inspiration for your display. You will earn extra points if you have educational displays and/or actual kite making activities taking place at your camp. All participants will receive a special-colored Kids Day Pin. There are separate awards for camps that have been set up by kids under the age of 18, so be sure to let the registration people know if you are a “kid” with your own camp. Be sure to include a good location of your camp.

TOP KID ON THE BEACH & SUPER SENIOR

Wednesday through Saturday
Ballots must be cast by 4:00pm on Saturday
Ballots will be available Wednesday thru Saturday from 9:30am–3:00pm, Tent #2

Glenda Davenport — Event Coordinator

There are always several special kite flyers on the beach who spend a great deal of time and energy at WSIKF doing things to attract kids to the sport of kiting. This award is to acknowledge their efforts .

PLEASE VOTE FOR YOUR TOP KID ON THE BEACH & SUPER SENIOR!

Please nominate people you see on the beach who you feel should receive this award in each category:

-TOP KID ON THE BEACH (under 60)
-SUPER SENIOR (60+)

Be sure to fill in WHY you think the person you nominate should receive this award. All nomination forms will eventually be passed on to the named people so that they know that their efforts are appreciated and will be encouraged to do it again next year!

TOP KID ON THE BEACH and SUPER SENIOR awards will be announced and honored at the beach on Saturday afternoon at 4:30pm

KIDS Games

11:30–12:30, Field A

Bob Wendt — Event Coordinator

Children do NOT need to register for this event . They should go directly to Field A. A large turnout may result in more age groups being added to this event.

4-9 years – Participants may be coached, but may not receive physical assistance.
10-12 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.

GAMES FOR ALL AGES:

RUNNING OF THE BOLS: Bols are round, spinning creations that are normally used as line art. In this event small bols will be strapped to each child and they will race across the kite field. It is kind of like the end of a drag race without all of the noise!

Dog Stake – Short Line Demos

2:00–3:30pm, Field A

Bob Wendt — Event Director

Did you ever have to fly a sport kite where there is not much room? At various times throughout the day we will have sport kite fliers show how to do it with short lines or dog stakes. What is a dog stake? To fly using a dog stake you run your fly lines through a pulley staked to the ground and stand under your kite while it flies. It can make for some fascinating interactions between the flier and the kite!

KITE MUSEUM MEGA FLY – A TRIBUTE TO RANDY TOM

11:00am–1:00pm, Field B

Sponsored by the World Kite Museum

Randy Tom was born on September 19, 1950 in San Diego and passed away on February 11, 2023 at the age of 72. He is survived by his three sisters, Sandra, Brenda, and Bobbie, and his niece Holly. Randy was one of the most renowned Kitemakers in the world.

Randy worked for the County of San Diego and he had many passions including car racing, fishing, playing the trumpet, as well as earning a black belt in karate. One day while fishing at Embarcadero Park he noticed a group of guys flying kites. He fell in love with kiting and turned his passion to building and flying kites. He created Hyperkites to pursue his passion.

Randy became one of the best Kitemakers the world has ever seen. From Hyperkites to his Ladies to the kites he designed for Sam’s Club, Costco, and even Disney – Randy was anamazing kite artist. Like Mikey, who you could give anything to and he’d eat it, you could give a kite to Randy and he’d make it fly. Kite manufacturers would seek him out to design kites that were not only beautiful but also flew Randy was very gifted and talented. He would become interested in something and master it in an unbelievably short time. When asked how he was able to accomplish this mastery he would reply, “I just have a logical mind”.

Randy was also a teacher who was willing to impart his knowledge of kitemaking to anyone willing to learn. His legacy will live on because of that willingness to teach his passion and those people in turn teaching others. In the kite world, when a flier passes, there is an empty space in the sky.

FIGHTER KITE, KIDS GAMES, DEMOS & LESSONS

12:30–2:00pm, Field A

Robert Loera — Event Coordinator
Catch the tail of the fighter, Robert’s challenge to the local youth. Prizes awarded for those that catch the tail. Robert will show off his skill maneuvering the kite up around and away from a group of participants. Roberts’s version of kite piñata!

SENIOR BALLLLET

Registration 10:00am-1:00pm, Tent #1
Performance 2:00–3:30pm, Field A

Bob Wendt — Event Coordinator
Performers 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

3:30–4:30pm, Field A

Ronda Brewer and Mike Mosman — Event Coordinators
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

WKA DINNER & AUCTION

3:30–4:30pm, Field A

Doors open at 6:00pm
$10 per person

Long Beach Grange
5715 Sandridge Road
Long Beach, WA

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Historic & Vintage Kite Display

9:30am – 12:30pm, South end of Field A

Barry Matties — Event Coordinator

Kites have been part of our culture for generations, with the earliest written account of kite flying being documented in China around 200 BC. Benjamin Franklin started conducting electrical experiments with kites in 1752. During World War II (1939-1945) large steerable diamond kites were used by the military for target practice off the back of ships. Of course, many of us remember our first kite made of sticks and paper, usually with mom’s old bedsheets ripped into kite tails. Back then we paid about 10 cents for it.

Vintage kites are special and we want you to join us as we fill the sky within an eclectic collection of vintage kites in Field A. We welcome you to bring your vintage kite(s)—at least 25 years and older—and be part of our special vintage kite fly. Let’s have some fun and see how many vintage kites we can have in the sky… and who brings the oldest kite!

Mass Ascension Pin Registration

Registration: 10:00–11:00am, Tent 2

Vic Eshpeter & Monty Davenport — Event Directors

The first 125 people that sign up will receive a pin. If you do not want a pin, no registration is required, please feel free to join all of us on Field A. You will receive a card for all four of the Mass Ascensions.

The card must be presented to the judges during each of the Mass Ascensions to receive your pin.

Handcrafted Kite Judging & Showcase

Pre-registration will be open on Wednesday 3:00–4:00pm and on Thursday 9:00am, Tent #2, Field A. Listen for announcements.

Kara Zubal & Carol Bechard — Event Directors

All kites entered in today’s competition will be flown and judged by the “RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR COMPREHENSIVE KITEMAKING COMPETITION,” published by the AKA, as a guideline.

-Every participant in the Handcrafted Kite Competition will be a winner! A special participation pin will be given to every competitor that enters at least one kite for judging.
-Judging criteria includes craftsmanship, structural design, kite flight and handling, and visual appeal.
-Each event (except Smallest Kite) will include three competitor levels: APPRENTICE, JOURNEYMAN, and MASTERS. A questionnaire form will be available to determine each competitor’s skill level. Flyers may choose to compete at higher skill level than the questionnaire determines.
-Kites that have placed in Handcrafted Competition at WSIKF in previous years are ineligible to compete.
-Kites can be either built by an individual or cooperatively by two or more people.
-Upon the completion of the competition, drawings will be made from the winners of each level for prizes.
-APPRENTICE: A free ride scholarship to Fort Worden Kite Makers Conference (room, meals and tuition).
-JOURNEYMAN: A free ride scholarship to Oregon Kite Makers Retreat (room, meals and tuition).
-MASTERS: A gift basket full of surprises.
-PROXY FLIERS will be allowed to assist with your kites if you have entries in both of our combined categories .

9:30am

ARCHES, TRAINS AND CENTIPEDES
Kites of any shape or structure that is connected by lines to each other .

LINE ACCESSORIES & GROUND ART
Sometimes referred to as “line art,” this category will include any tethered object. The object may be tethered to a kite, line, or the ground. Examples would include wind socks, bols, wheels, etc.

9:50am

TRADITIONAL KITES
Kites include eastern or western kites using designs that might have been found before 1950 and/or based on designs indigenous to the region they represent. Kites must be made from traditional materials such as paper or silk with a bamboo frame. This includes countries such as Bali, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand.

SMALLEST KITE
The kite should demonstrate stability in flight-. Once meeting this requirement, the kite with the smallestamount of lifting surface will be declared the winner.

10:10am

ROKKAKU KITES
Kite shape must be six- sided and framed as a traditional Sanjo Rokkaku

FIGHTER KITES
This category is open to all types and designs of fighter kites

10:30am

DELTA OR DELTA DERIVATIVES
Usually a triangular winged kite

10:50am

FLAT OR BOWED KITES
The lift surface is a single plane. Diamonds, Della Portas, Eddys, Edos, and Bermudas are all examples of Flat or Bowed Kites.

11:10am

SOFT & SEMI-RIGID
The shape of the kite is maintained by the interaction of the wind on the sail and the proper bridling of the kite. Semi-rigid kites may have spars going in one direction only

11:30am

CELLULAR OR DIMENSIONAL KITES
A three- dimensional structure with the wind flowing through channels formed by the sail surfaces which are also lifting surfaces

11:50am

INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS & DESIGNS
This category recognizes new designs or styles of kites that do not fit within any other category. Imagination, innovation, experimentation, and originality are added emphasis.

FIGURE OR NOVELTY KITES
Shapes of these kites represent persons, animals, or other objects. May be controlled by two or more lines. Kites whose surfaces are decorated with pictures or representations of the above are not considered figure kites

12:10pm

STUNT / MULTI-LINE KITES
Kites which require more flying lines to lift the kite in the air and keep it steady as it flies.

Handcrafted Mass Ascension

12:30–1:30pm, Field A

Kitemakers – Here is your chance to display your many incredible handcrafted kites for all to see. You may fly any number of kites by anchoring them or having a proxy flier. These can be new creations or kites that have been enjoyed for years. Let’s fill the sky!

SPORT KITE STACK DEMO

1:30pm-2:15pm, Field A

Team Flying Dragon — Event Coordinators
Once again the Stacks will be out. Pairs and teams of stack fliers will put onamazing displays of coordinated flying and unbelievable kite artistry.

Featured International Guest CARL ROBERTSHAW

2:30–3:30pm, Field A

This year The Washington State International Kite Festival is proud and honored to have Carl Robertshaw as our International guest. Carl is a transdisciplinary designer and artist, engaged at the intersection of performance, engineering and fine art.

AOK DINNER & AUCTION

3:30pm – 4:30pm, Field A

Doors open at 6:00pm
Dinner at 7:00pm
$10 per person

Long Beach Elks Club - 10 Pacific Avenue, Long Beach, WA

Friday, August 25, 2023

Sport Kite Events

Pilots Meeting 9:15am, Tent #2
Events Held Throughout the Day

Bob Wendt — Event Coordinator

Sport Kite Demos

Registration – Thursday all day, Tent #1
Sport Kite Dual Line Ballet 9:30–10:30am
Sport Kite Demos – Multi Line Ballet 2:30-3:30pm

Vic Eshpeter & Monty Davenport — Event Directors

This is open to all flyers and will consist of two Ballet performances to music of your own choosing. There will be Multi-Line and Dual Line categories. Round 1 will be Friday. Round 2 on Saturday. Music should be between 2 and 4 minutes in length.

Mass Ascension #1 Delta & Delta Derivatives

Registration 10:00am–2:00pm, Tent #1
Performances 3:30-5:00pm

Vic Eshpeter & Monty Davenport — Event Directors
Registration is NOT required BUT if you want to collect the four part Mass Ascension Pin set you must register (Thursday 10:00am Tent #2). Pins are limited .

Kids Kites & Mini Mass Ascension

11:30am until kites are gone.
Fly time 11:30am–12:30pm, Field A

Sponsored by the World Kite Museum and the Washington Kitefliers Association
Butch Harviston — Event Coordinator
This is for kids to fly their kites on field A. No registration is required.

FIGHTER KITE TEAEAM DEMO

12:30–1:00pm, Field A

Robert Loera — Event Coordinator

Members of the facebook group fighter kites.na will present a team flying demonstration of theiramerican Fighter kites. Special guests joining them will be Joel Schultz, Mike Sterling, Ken and Susanne Conrad and founder of the fighter kites.na group Stone Mclaren.

Mass Ascension #2 Cellular Kites

1:00–2:00pm, Field A
Featured Guest: Carl Shortshaw, Performance at 2:00–3:00pm

Vic Eshpeter & Monty Davenport — Event Coordinators

Registration is NOT required BUT if you want to collect the four part Mass Ascension Pin set you must register (Thursday 10:00am Tent #2). Pins are limited.

PIN CHALLENGE

11:30am at the Red & White Activities Tent on the Approach

Vic Eshpeter & Monty Davenport — Event Coordinators

Come and join us for the Pin Challenge event. Bring your trader pins and compare with other pin collectors. Try and fill in your collection with pins you do not have. Pins will be awarded to the first 33 traders that register during the event.

Lighted Kite Night Fly #1

Registration all day Friday, Tent #2
7:00pm, Mandatory Pilots Meeting
8:00pm, Field A

Nguyen Family & Barry Matties — Event Coordinators

It’s time to take off the sunglasses and join us for a lot of fun at our annual Lighted Kite Night Fly. Held in Field A, lighted kites of all shapes and sizes will fill the sky, putting on a magical show. World-class kite fliers will entertain as they make their lighted kites dance to music. We encourage you to bring your lighted kites and help us fill up the sky! We will start the program around dusk, when we welcome the young fliers. No lights on your kites? No worries. We will help you get a glowstick light onto your kite. Let’s see how many lighted kites we can get into the sky!

MYSTERY BALLET

Registration 10:00am–2:00pm, Tent #1
Performances 3:30-5:00pm

Bob Wendt — Event Coordinator

This is an event you won’t want to miss. Single line, dual line and quad line flyers put their flying to a real test. In other sport kite competitions flyers have practiced their routines to music of their own choosing. In this event flyers will not know what song they will be flying to until the music starts. This usually leads to creative adaptations that are a favoriteamong the flyers and the audience alike.

All songs will be 2-4 minutes in length. A variety of music will be presented. The contestants’ flight order will be determined by random draw. With a few exceptions rules from the AKA rulebook will be followed. The judges will score each contestant on the following criteria:

CHOREOGRAPHY: How well the flier performs to the music.
TECHNICAL: The variety and difficulty of the maneuvers performed and how well they are executed.
RESPONSE: How well the flier “wows” the audience. Make some noise for your favorite performances!

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Sport Kite Events

Pilots Meeting 9:15am, Tent #2
Events Held Throughout the Day

Bob Wendt — Event Coordinator

Sport Kite Demos

Registration – Thursday all day, Tent #1
Dual Line Ballet 4:00–5:00pm
Multi Line Ballet 9:30–11:00am

Bob Wendt — Event Coordinator

This is open to all flyers and will consist of two Ballet performances to music of your own choosing. There will be Multi-Line and Dual Line categories. Round 1 will be Friday. Round 2 on Saturday. Music should be between 2 and 4 minutes in length.

Parade of Colors

Registration – Thursday all day, Tent #1
Dual Line Ballet 4:00–5:00pm
Multi Line Ballet 9:30–11:00am

Monty Davenport — Event Coordinators

Join the Parade of Colors with your flag or banner, everyone is welcome. Line up beginning at the North end of the boardwalk. The parade will march on the boardwalk and then down to and around Field A. If you cannot walk through the sand, go to the corner of Field A, near the tents and join us on the field. The first 100 participants who line up with a flag or banner will receive a Parade Pin.

Teddy Bear Drop

Registration – Thursday all day, Tent #1
Dual Line Ballet 4:00–5:00pm
Multi Line Ballet 9:30–11:00am

Cliff & Gerry Pennell — Event Coordinators

Children nine (9) and under can participate. Fifteen names will be drawn and those children will go out on the field and catch their bear.
Is that a “Bear in the Air”? Yes, the Long Beach Bears will be performing at the WSIKF on Saturday. This year’s graduating class includes expert skydivers jumping for the opportunity to go home with a lucky boy or girl. The whole squadron of Bears has been practicing all year to get ready for this event. The robust elimination process, which determined today’s performers, was highly competitive. Fifteen members of the Long Beach Bears Squadron are looking forward to retirement and enjoying the “easy life” at their new home.

This event is FREE to all children age nine (9) and under. All those children present who have registered prior to the jump will be in the drawing to provide a good home for one of the skydivers. Children must be present when their name is drawn to be able to take home a Long Beach Bear.

Come to Field A ready to cheer for the Bears performing their final jump before retirement.

Have you seen the kite fairy?

12:30pm: right after the Teddy Bear Drop, South end of Tent 2

Join Kite Fairy Glenda Davenport and her friends. The first 200 children to find the Kite Fairy and her Friends will be rewarded with a special stuffed toy.

Cody Fly

Registration 9:00am, Tent #2 Fly 12:30–1:15pm, Field A

Have you got a Cody kite? Well come and join us! The first 100 people who register will get a free Cody pin! Judges Choice: there will be 10 special pins awarded.

What is a Cody or Cody derivative? A Cody is two box kites tied together with wings! If it resembles a cross-spar with two wings. It’s OK.

-A kite flier with more than one Cody kite may fly as many Cody’s as they want, either one at a time or in a stack .
-A person not owning a Cody may fly someone else’s kite.
-Cody kites DO NOT need to be handmade.
-If there is insufficient wind, the event will still be held.

Please stay after the fly and get in on the group picture so that everyone has a record of those who were present this year. Your picture of previous years and this year can be downloaded from of the Washington Kitefliers Association web site: https://wka-kitefliers.org/

Rokkaku Challenge

1:15–2:30pm, Field A

Ronda Brewer & Mike Mosman — Event Coordinators

This is a team competition in which the emphasis is on fun more than winning. The objective is to knock or cut other kites out of the sky using your team’s kite. AKA competition rules will be used. In order to ensure the safety and maximize the enjoyment of the teams, the following rules will be strictly enforced.

-A team consists of at least three members. They must fly a traditional Rokkaku (hexagon) shaped kite. All team members must be on the flying field at the beginning of the competition. The addition of team members from outside the field will result in immediate disqualification and removal of the team from the field.
-All team members must be holding onto their kite line during the entire competition. Failure to hold on to the line will result in disqualification of the team. Team members must avoid body contact with opposing team members and their lines. Any obvious attempt to make such contact will result in disqualification.
-Sharp objects connected to the line will result in disqualification. Any attempt to cut an opposing team’s line with a knife or other sharp object carried onto the field by a competitor will result in disqualification.
-Members of teams that have been forced down or disqualified must leave the field immediately. They may not make any attempt to interfere with the remaining teams.
-Any team observed not engaging for a 30 second period will be given a 30 second warning. They will be timed by a judge and disqualified if contact is not made. Teams will also be timed for contact on a random basis.
-The judges may stop the competition at any time by sounding a whistle or horn. All competitors must stop in place at the sound. It is expected that this will only occur in the event of an injury or if an unsafe condition is felt to exist on the field.

Mass Ascension #3 Flat & Bowed Kites

2:30–3:30pm, Field A
Featured Guest: Carl Shortshaw, Performance at 3:30–4:00pm

Vic Eshpeter & Monty Davenport — Event Coordinators

Registration is NOT required BUT if you want to collect the four part Mass Ascension Pin set you must register (Thursday 10:00am Tent #2). Pins are limited .

Lighted Kite Night Fly #2

Registration all day Friday & Saturday, Tent #2
7:00pm, Mandatory Pilots Meeting
8:00pm, Field A

We are doing it again!! Lighted kites of all shapes and sizes will fill the sky, putting on a magical show. World-class kite fliers will entertain as they make their lighted kites dance to music. We encourage you to bring your lighted kites and help us fill up the sky! We will start the program around dusk, when we welcome the young fliers. No lights on your kites? No worries. We will help you get a glowstick light onto your kite. Let’s see how many lighted kites we can get into the sky!

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Memorial Fly

10:00am, Field A

Please leave the names of the kite fliers you wish to remember on the clipboard in Tent #1. A clipboard for that purpose will be there all week. The names will be written on a kite that will be released during the fly. This is expressly for those who have passed in the past year. Please feel free to fly your own kite during this memorial.

Mass Ascension #4 Sparless & Soft Kites

10:30–11:30am, Field A

Vic Eshpeter & Monty Davenport — Event Coordinators

Registration is NOT required BUT if you want to collect the four part Mass Ascension Pin set you must register (Thursday 10:00am Tent #2). Pins are limited .

Sport Kite Team & Pairs Demo

Sign ups 9:30am, Tent 2 (Sound Station)
11:30am–1:00pm, Field A

Date: Monday, August 21, 2023 - Sunday, August 27, 2023

Hours:

Monday through Thursday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Friday and Saturday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 3:00pm

Location: Various Venues in Long Beach, WA

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