Kite Day and Egg Hunt Saturday, April 18, 2009 1:00-3:00 PM CDT
Location: Amphitheatre Parking Lot and Concourse Area
Egg Hunt will begin at 3:00 PM
***In case of rain, this event will be held on Sat. April 25th***
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a …
What has a tail, can fly, comes in different shapes, colors and sizes? It’s a kite! April is National Kite month and to celebrate the Friends of Lincoln State Park are sponsoring Kite Day.
It is not clear who developed the first kite, but research shows that the first kite was flown more than two thousand years ago in China. The Chinese army flew a kite over the wall of a city to measure how far they had to dig a tunnel to surprise and attack their enemy. By the 7th century, the kite had spread to Japan, Korea, Asia, and India. Japan used kites to avert evil spirits and help provide a bountiful harvest. By the 18th century, kites were being used by scientists as a scientific instrument.
Benjamin Franklin used the kite to study the use of lightning as an electric current. Alexander Wilson used kites to lift thermometers up in the sky to measure temperatures at different levels. The Wright Brothers used their passion of kites as children to help develop their first airplane. William Eddy and Lawrence Hargraves developed special kites to carry meteorological instruments and cameras up in the atmosphere to study weather. Lawrence Hargraves also developed the box kite in 1890.
For the last several years, the kite has become a favorite past time and a sport for many enthusiasts. Many contest and festivals are held throughout the world. The largest kite festival is held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in India on January 14. Over 100,000 kites have been known to be in the sky at one time. Kite in English means graceful bird. The Mexican word for kite is papalote, which means butterfly. In Germany, the word for kite is grachen, which means dragon.
So, on April 18th from 1-3 PM bring your kites and come to the Lincoln State Park Amphitheater parking lot to fly your kites with members of the Friends of Lincoln State Park.
Members of the Friends group will be demonstrating kite flying with their own kites, provided the wind cooperates. A drawing for a free kite will be held every half-hour and there will be free popcorn and drinks available for sale. You should bring your own kite, but there will be a few kites available for loan or purchase.
At the conclusion of the kite-flying event, there will be an Egg Hunt on the ground of the amphitheater for children.
