Skip Walton writing in from a recent adventure.
I recently had the pleasure of attending the 40th annual Santa Barbara Kite Festival. Since I began flying large inflatable show kites a year and a half ago, I’ve enjoyed traveling to various events, and this felt like the perfect opportunity to showcase my Charlie Brown and Peanuts gang collection.
The event was also a special personal milestone, as it allowed me to reunite with my half-sister and her family, whom I hadn’t seen in over six years. It was a beautiful weekend for flying on the grass fields of the college, with the ocean providing a stunning backdrop. Upon arrival, I coordinated with the field director, Mike, to set up my anchor points.
The winds were light, around 8 to 10 mph, which is right on the edge for these large kites. To adapt, I rotated between Snoopy, Tweety Bird, and Charlie Brown on a single line. I also managed to get my 18-meter purple octopus up for a few minutes, which was a big hit with the children. Later in the day, I even had the chance to fly kites with my brother-in-law and my six-year-old nephew. At the end of the day, I was honored to be awarded “Best of Fest.” It was a proud moment for me to represent the San Diego Kite Club and share my love for kiting with the community. I was also given a gift card to a local restaurant, which I passed along to my sister’s family as a thank you for their hospitality. I feel very blessed by the experience. Here are some photos I managed to capture during all of the fun.
Best regards,
C Walton (Skip)