A once popular event in central Iowa that disappeared for several years will be flying high again this weekend.
Bruce Blankenfeld is the chief organizer of Kites Over Grinnell, which was introduced in 2002 and at it’s peak drew 2,000 spectators and over 50 professional kite flyers from across the U.S. and Canada.
“It kind of fell through due to weather and so on…now, the Grinnell Rotary Club is bringing it back in the fall instead of the spring,” Blankenfeld says.
The event will be held this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ahrens Park driving range in Grinnell. About a dozen professional kite flyers, members of the American Kitefliers Association, will be part of the show. Blankenfeld says kits will be provided to anyone interested in making and flying their own kites.
“We took 636 kites into our K-through-4th grade students and they’re coloring them up. The kids can bring those out and if they get tired of flying kites we have games for them to play,” Blankenfeld says. Instructors will be available to guide kite-making sessions. There will also be live music and food available. There’s no admission charge. Blankenfeld says he hopes the event will grow and once again become a Grinnell tradition.