This giant octopus kite measures 33 feet long. It's one of the kites the New Era Kite Club will fly at the Mountain State Arts and Craft Fair in Ripley this weekend.
Max Barker is hoping for some wind at the Mountain State Arts and Craft Fair in Ripley this weekend and not just to cool things down. Barker will be at the annual event with his group, the New Era Kite Club, which will have kite-making workshops, stunt kite demonstrations and more.
WANT TO GO?
Mountain State Arts and Craft Fair
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday
WHERE: Cedar Lakes Conference Center, Ripley
COST: Adults $6, seniors $5, children (age 6-12) $2, children under 6 free
INFO: 304-372-3247 or www.msacf.com
CHARLESTON, W.V.a. -- Max Barker is hoping for some wind at the Mountain State Arts and Craft Fair in Ripley this weekend and not just to cool things down. Barker will be at the annual event with his group, the New Era Kite Club, which will have kite-making workshops,
stunt kite demonstrations and more.
This will be the first year at the fair for the club, which is an outreach program of the New Era One Room School Museum in Mineral Wells. The club has about 11 members and is composed primarily of people on the museum board.
It began two years ago, when Barker organized a kite festival as a fundraiser for the non-profit museum.
"I'm a kite enthusiast, so I thought, 'Why not put on a kite festival?' They have them throughout the country, but West Virginia doesn't have one. So we held one and we had a good response. We did it again this year, and it did really well."
The festival's success has led to more opportunities for the club, which is part of the American Kite Assn. It has been asked to do events throughout the state and in Virginia.
"There's kind of a void from West Virginia over to Virginia. We've had organizations contact us," Barker said. "We've had a lot of requests. I didn't realize there was such a big interest until we started doing this."
The club tries to accommodate as many requests as it can, but it is volunteer-based, and most members have full-time jobs. Barker is a bus driver and driver trainer for Wood County Schools. His brother-in-law, Dave Bunner, the group's vice president, is a correctional officer at Saint Marys Correctional Center.
WANT TO GO?Mountain State Arts and Craft Fair
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday
WHERE: Cedar Lakes Conference Center, Ripley
COST: Adults $6, seniors $5, children (age 6-12) $2, children under 6 free
INFO: 304-372-3247 or www.msacf.com
CHARLESTON, W.V.a. -- Max Barker is hoping for some wind at the Mountain State Arts and Craft Fair in Ripley this weekend and not just to cool things down. Barker will be at the annual event with his group, the New Era Kite Club, which will have kite-making workshops,
stunt kite demonstrations and more.
This will be the first year at the fair for the club, which is an outreach program of the New Era One Room School Museum in Mineral Wells. The club has about 11 members and is composed primarily of people on the museum board.
It began two years ago, when Barker organized a kite festival as a fundraiser for the non-profit museum.
"I'm a kite enthusiast, so I thought, 'Why not put on a kite festival?' They have them throughout the country, but West Virginia doesn't have one. So we held one and we had a good response. We did it again this year, and it did really well."
The festival's success has led to more opportunities for the club, which is part of the American Kite Assn. It has been asked to do events throughout the state and in Virginia.
"There's kind of a void from West Virginia over to Virginia. We've had organizations contact us," Barker said. "We've had a lot of requests. I didn't realize there was such a big interest until we started doing this."
The club tries to accommodate as many requests as it can, but it is volunteer-based, and most members have full-time jobs. Barker is a bus driver and driver trainer for Wood County Schools. His brother-in-law, Dave Bunner, the group's vice president, is a correctional officer at Saint Marys Correctional Center.
Seven to eight club members will make time to appear at Cedar Lakes for the fair this weekend. During the three-day event, the group will offer free kite making for children, fly some cool kites and have kite history and safety talks. It will have kites for sale as well, with proceeds going to museum upkeep.
"We'll have kite kits available that children can build, color and design their pattern, then we'll take them out and help them fly it," Barker said. He noted that the group is bringing 100 kits and distribution of those will be stretched to last the entire weekend.
Among the kites the group plans to fly are several large parafoil animal ones. Parafoil kites, Barker explained, don't have poles to hold their structure. They are inflated by the wind.
"We'll fly those, wind permitting. We have a 33-foot octopus and a 15-foot penguin. The penguin is almost as big as a small car. The kids enjoy seeing something that big going up."
The group will show off the basics of stunt kiting as well, with demonstrations at 1 and 3 p.m. daily. Stunt kites are geared towards older children. They are flown using two lines instead of one, which gives the flyer more precise control and enables him to perform aerobatics.
Barker said kite flying is a lost art in this age of video games. However, he has found that once children start flying a kite, they enjoy it.
"Once you get out there on a pretty day, it's really amazing how long they stick around and stick at it," he said, pointing out it's not just fun but beneficial, too.
"It's good for kids to get outside and exercise, and it gets them outside with their family."
Flying kites isn't just for children, though, and Barker is looking forward to meeting visitors young and old this weekend.
"We'll be happy to see anyone of any age," he said. "I just hope we have good weather and a bit of wind to play with."
Reach Amy Robinson at flips...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-4881.
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