LYON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — This weekend you can expect a sky full of color in Lyon Township as the annual Kite Festival returns. It’s an event that they’ve held for 17 years now and they say it’ll be fun for the entire family.
Wind is a must-need ingredient for flying kites, and it's an ingredient not easily wrangled.
See the full story from Lyon Township Reporter Christiana Ford in the video below
“Usually with kites you’re having the line and if the wind is there, you bring them out, you let em out and let them go up with the wind," John Trennepohl, a Plymouth resident who is also a kiter, said.
That's what Trennepohl loves, and why he's been a part of Lyon Township's Kite Festival every year.
He's one of the more than 50 kite flyers expected to fill the sky with color and dance this weekend on the hill at James Atchison Park.
“In this field, we’ll flying a lot of individual like acrobatic stuff, its almost like Olympic ice skating," he said.
“Flying kites is a unique hobby that really connects you with the wind and when my wife tells me to go fly a kite, it’s the only time I listen to her. I’m gone for a while," Roger Tompkins, an Ypsilanti kiter from Team Sky-FX said.
Organizers say guests can expect a free kite, flying demos, live music, food vendors, a magician, games, crafts and more.
“Everyone can come here. It’s a very family oriented event where we’re focusing on having family fun entertainment," Lyon Events Chair Michael Sperling said.
This year marks the 17th for the free event, which was started by the nonprofit Lyon Events in 2009.
“Unemployment was running high, inflation was there, people were having a tough time, some were losing their jobs. So we said what can we do to help the community and through the generosity with our businesses in town we were able to put on our first annual," former Lyon Events Co-Chair Jim Chuck said.
It all starts Saturday at 10 a.m.
“I just want them to leave here feeling fulfilled and entertained and just enjoying our township," Michael Sperling said.
