High-flying Weekend Fun in Lincoln City
Published: 06/14/2018  Updated: 12/06/2018

The 34th Annual Summer Kite Festival will take over the skies in Lincoln City, Oregon on June 23-24.

If you are looking for a great fun filled day on the Oregon Coast that will be enjoyed by all family members then head to Lincoln City for the annual summer kite festival, June 23-24, 2018.

There is something very relaxing about seeing the sky filled with colorful big show kites. Watch as colorful dragons, tigers and other creatures from the Chinese zodiac take flight from 10am to 4pm at the D River Wayside in Lincoln City. Activities at the festival include kite making for kids, professional kite demonstrations and the Running of the Bols, which is a footrace across the beach with each participant harnessed to a parachute kite.

New to the festival this year is kite flier Dave Butler. Butler is not only an accomplished kite flier, but also an award-winning kite maker. "I got my first experience flying kites in the early 80s with my wife, Diane," says Butler. "We were in Lincoln City on vacation and I bought a stunt kite. I took it down to the beach and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. A friend of mine said that I should give kite making a try. So, I convinced my wife, who is a painter, to take a class with me. We both fell in love with the process. I design the kites and she paints them." Along with his wife Diane, Butler has been making kites for 25 years.

In 2010, the couple was honored for their combined artistic achievements when they received the Lee Toy Award, the most prestigious artistic award given by the American Kitefliers Association. The award, named after distinguished kite flier Lee Toy, is awarded each year to a kite flier that demonstrates exemplary artistic talent. "It was a complete surprise to win the award," revealed Butler. "It was a special honor because Diane and I were the first couple to receive it. Her name comes first on the award, which is how it should be."

"I love putting a kite line in the hands of a child," says Butler. "There's something in the look on their faces - a look of wonderment and joy. If I can help pass on this fun sport to a new generation, then I will be pleased." Look for Butler on the flying field with his trademark Celtic miniature kites. He might just hand you a kite line.

For more information visit OregonCoast.org or call 541-996-1274.
High-flying Weekend Fun in Lincoln City