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Kites take to the sky at Mineral Wells festival

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton Pete and Jane Pantelidis show their son Konstantinos Pantelidis how to fly a kite at the eighth annual New Era Kite Fest on the grounds of the Mineral Wells Elementary School on Saturday.

MINERAL WELLS — Kites of all shapes and sizes were everywhere during the eighth annual New Era Kite Fest on the grounds of the Mineral Wells Elementary School on Saturday.

Max Barker, president of the New Era School and New Era Kite Club, said about 50 families turned out to fly a kite on a semi-breezy March afternoon. Barker said attendance to the fest was steady as usual.

“It’s been pretty steady off and on as they flow through here,” he said. “Then the ball teams come over after they are done with practice. We typically have about 200 to 250 overall.”

Formerly held on a Saturday and Sunday, Barker said this year the festival was a one day event for Saturday.

“For some odd reason, if you look back through the years, it snowed, rained or was very cold on Sunday,” he said. “Right now the Sunday forecast is for rain most of the day. It was getting to the point where we couldn’t do anything on Sunday.”

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton Making their own kites in the New Era One Room School were James Lattea, left, and Lilly McCrady, right, as J.D. Lattea watches.

Barker said this year they were happy to see the warm and slightly overcast afternoon on Saturday.

Kristi McCrady, of Mineral Wells, said her children tried their hands at flying making kites at Saturday’s event.

“They had kites they bought and then they decided to try it with kites they can make here,” she said.

Pete and Jane Pantelidis said this was the first time for them and their son Konstantinos at Saturday’s event.

“A friend of mine told me about it,” Jane said. “I’ve never flown a kite either so I knew it would be nice and something we could do as a family.”

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton Olivia Harrington keeps a large penguin kite in the sky during the eighth annual New Era Kite Fest on the grounds of the Mineral Wells Elementary School.

Pete said this was also their child’s first experience with kites.

“He’s never done this,” he said. “This is my first time with a complicated one, we used to make them at school.”

Frank Bolek, of Parkersburg, said Saturday was a great day to be out and trying something a little different.

“It’s been a lot of fun when the wind is blowing,” he said. “It’s a beautiful day with overcast skies, you can’t beat it. It’s nice to see a lot of kids and families out here together.”

Amy Bolek said they had never been to the Kite Fest before.

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton Ashley Wyant, left, and Aysia Randolph, right, watch as Scott Randolph, center, tries to get a kite aloft at the kite fest.

“I saw the sign on the Fifth Street bridge, took a picture of it and here we are,” she said.

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