Tulsa Festival of Kites This Weekend

By Chris Howell, NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- A kite-flying club based in Tulsa is preparing to take to the skies this weekend.

The Tulsa Wind Riders club is hosting its Festival of Kites on Saturday and Sunday.

On Thursday, kite flyers got an early start at the festival site at 43rd and South Garnett in Tulsa, by launching some of their beautiful kites in anticipation of the 16th annual festival.

"We'll be out here all weekend, both days," said Richard Dermer with the Tulsa Wind Riders. "Flying kites, helping parents and children make and decorate kites.  We'll have a kite vendor here who will be selling kites.  It's free to the public, we would like everyone to come out and enjoy the wind with us."

Kites of all sizes and shapes will be on display and range from ones you can carry in your pocket to some that can lift you off the ground.

"You can fly small little kites for three, four, five dollars, or you can buy kites that are over two thousand dollars," said kitemaker Walt Mitchell.  "Like any hobby you can go high or stay low."

Festival organizers will also try mass launches, so bring your kite to help them see how many kites can be flown at once.

The festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.