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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 16, 2018)
AUGUST 16, 2018 // 9 Be a kid again at the Washington State International Kite Festival, Aug. 20-26 By DWIGHT CASWELL FOR COAST WEEKEND T he Washington State International Kite Festival begins Monday, Aug. 20, in Long Beach, and continues through Sunday, Aug. 26. There will be kite trains, arches and stacks, stunt kites, a photo contest, mass ascensions, kite ballet, a teddy bear drop and much more. There will also be a lot of kids and used-to-be kids flying kites or watching the kites fly. My first visit to the festival, years ago, turned me into a kid again, an 8-year-old boy building his first kite. It wasn’t much of a success aerodynamically, but to me it was a thing of beauty. I’ve loved kites ever since. The kite bug bit Raemon Bohn, too, and changed his life. He first came to the Long Beach Peninsula in August of 1994 and thought he’d check out the kite festival. “I saw some guys flying kites,” he said, “and I thought, ‘I’d like to try that.’” So he bought a kite and flew it, and then had to buy another for his wife. The couple started coming to Long Beach from Walla Walla every year for the festival. “We were spending thousands of dollars on motels,” Bohn said, “and I thought we could buy a house with that money.” So they did, and moved to Long Beach. “It started out as a hobby and became a passion real quickly,” Bohn said. Today Bohn likes to fly sport kites with four lines — “quad kites” — but at the kite festival he’s field director for the “large kite” area. What is a “large kite?” There are many answers. The circular kites can be 30 feet in diameter. The “250s” are 250 square feet. Then there are the “450s.” “I fly a lot of line laundry,” he said, “100-foot tails are not uncommon.” He flies a 50-foot manta ray, a 90-foot octopus and all sorts of other marine creatures. He flies “spin socks,” shaped like those wind socks at airports, except these spin and are 15 feet at the wide end and 50 feet long. Then there are the tube kites, 6 feet in diameter by 100 feet long. Between flights, the kites are on display — and Bohn will be glad to take your picture inside one. Send it soaring Interested more in art than prodigious size? Check out the kites by Paul and Helene Morgan, of Shrop- shire, U.K., who are the featured guests at this year’s festival. Art school students who fell in love with kites, the Morgans’ unique designs (such as a flying phone booth) have been creating a stir since 1986. They’ve also authored “The Ultimate Book of Kites.” If it’s excitement you’re looking for, there will be team and individual battles featuring traditional Jap- anese Rokkaku battle kites. The idea is to force other ROBERT HILSON PHOTOS Thousands of spectators are greeted by a torrent of kites and gorgeous weather at a previous Washington State International Kite Festival. kites to the ground with yours, and points are awarded for kites downed and for being among the last kites flying. Nor will you want to miss the Cody kites. These kites were invented for use in war around 1900 by Wild West showman and aircraft pioneer Samuel Cody. He added wings to box kites to create amazing shapes and lift. Wednesday, Aug. 22, is special at the festival: It’s Kids and Seniors Day. There will be kite-making work- shops and games for the kids, and for seniors there is a kite ballet and an opportunity to teach “grandchildren- for-a-day” how to fly kites. In fact, I recommend that, whatever day you choose, you go to the International Kite Festival with a child. Build a kite. Watch it fly above your heads. Let your imagination soar with your creation. For more information and a downloadable festival program, visit kitefestival.com/kite-festival-program/. CW Kites fill the skies at the annual Washington State International Kite Festival.