Spring awakening: 62nd annual Ocean Beach Kiwanis Kite Festival

It’s a community blast – and a family tradition

By Martina Schimitschek
Published: March 4, 2010 in the Sign On San Diego, special to The San Diego Union-Tribune
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/04/spring-awakening-kite-fest/

Note: This story originally ran prior to the event.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - When Jim Nickel was in kindergarten at Warren Walker School in Ocean Beach, a group of men from the Ocean Beach Kiwanis came by his class and showed the kids how to make kites so they could fly them at the beach.

Each kid got a diamond-shaped piece of brown paper, some string, sticks, paste and rags for the tail. The kites took two days to assemble and a stiff wind to fly.

That was in 1948.

And the beginning of an Ocean Beach tradition.

On Saturday, Nickel, now a Point Loma area pathologist, will be helping his 4-year-old granddaughter make a kite at the 62nd annual Ocean Beach Kiwanis Kite Festival and Craft Fair.

"As far as we know, it's the oldest kite festival for children in the U.S.," said Melanie Nickel, Jim's wife and president of the Ocean Beach Kiwanis.

"My family has three generations of kite festival participants," Jim Nickel said. "That's very special."

The festival includes free kite-making kits, prizes for each grade and a parade to the beach where kids can fly their kites.

Children can come to the Ocean Beach Recreation Center between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and get all the materials needed to assemble a kite.

"It's a very different kite from the old days," Nickel said, "but the fun is still the same."

Kites are now made out of a white plastic, kind of like a thick garbage bag. They are shaped like a shield, a design provided by the San Diego Kite Club, with two tails. And they are guaranteed to fly.

"Any 2-year-old can fly this kite," Nickel said.

After the kites are decorated and assembled, children can go across the street to Ocean Beach Elementary School to test out their creations and enter them into the contest. At 1 p.m., prizes will be given to the best-decorated kite for each age group. There's even a community division for adults.

"It's small-time community event," Melanie Nickel said. "We peg it for families. It's something parents and kids can do together."

Besides the kites, the event will also have games and rides, including the ever-popular llamas, as well live music, craft booths and free hot dogs, punch and popcorn for kids. (Parents are expected to pay a small donation.)

The parade starts at 2 p.m., but don't expect a lot of fanfare. In typical OB style, it's very informal. Everyone is welcome to walk down Santa Monica Avenue to the beach.

It's part of the tradition.