Art and Wind Festival wows attendees

It is not too late for any resident interested in San Ramon’s Art and Wind Festival to attend, as it will be open for one more day, Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The festival features family-friendly activities, music, shops, art displays and of course kite-flying performances by some of the best professional kite flyers in the world.

Residents are in agreement; what keeps them coming back year after year is the great family fun and kid-friendly environment.

“We came because the kids always have fun here,” Melissa Shim said.

“I like flying the kite’s and I saw my Friend!” Shim’s daughter Sylvia added enthusiastically.

Some of the best kite flyers in the country attend the festival and show off their talents on the Lucky A’s ball field. All day these professional “kiters” wow festival-goers with flying demonstrations synchronized to music.

The internationally ranked professional kiteing team Four-Ce will continue to demonstrate some flying stunts on Monday. In February Four-Ce was proclaimed the fourth best kiting team in the world at at kite flying expo in France.

“The U.S.A. owns the number four spot,” Four-Ce flyer Carol Pittman said with a laugh. “It’s the French who have always dominated first and second. “

The kite flyers face a unique challenge in central park, with wind gusts making the stunt kites difficult to control.

“This field is notorious for having poor flying conditions…we actually call it a character building field,” said professional kiter Darrin Skinner. “Many egos have been lost here, but you just have to go out and do it, at the very least it makes for great practice.”

“The wind in Central Park can be very challenging,” professional kiter Brian Champie said prior to the festival. The trees surrounding the field in combination with City Hall, Iron Horse Middle School and a nearby parking structure make for very unpredictable, and often weak, winds, he said.

Today’s kites are better suited to dealing with difficult conditions however, professional stunt kites are now made with “space-age” technology.

“Kites today are not made of paper and wood. Today’s kites are made of high tech purpose made polyester ripstop nylon fabrics and carbon fiber frames,” Champie said providing some insight. “They use two or four lines to control them. The lines used are made of spectra fiber originally invented for the space industry.”

Make your own kite stations will be made available during the festival and organizers encourage residents to bring their own kites and let them fly,

“It’s just a good fun family activity. Anyone can do it, any age can do it, and it just gets you outside enjoying the day and away from the games,” Pittman said.

The Art and Wind Festival won’t be the only chance residents have to see kite stunts this summer, as the Bay Area Sport Kite League typically puts on four or five competitions during the summer, Champie said.

Parking can be difficult so if you do not have a parking pass be ready to spend some time searching for a spot.

Or you can avoid the traffic all together and bike to the festival. This year Sports Basement is providing a free bike valet service at their store and is offering discount merchandise coupons to festival goers who choose the green option. Plus, the San Ramon Street Smarts program is providing free bike helmet fittings and inspections inside City Hall from 12-2 p.m.

Pro-tip; anyone interested in seeing the hot air balloon inflate should show up to Ball Field 3, behind the Community Center, before the festival actually opens, around 9 a.m.

The San Ramon Art and Wind Festival will be open for just one more day, Memorial Day 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pets are welcome, and admission is free.

“This is our third year coming back and we love it…it’s really family friendly,” said San Ramon resident Alison who attended with her son Easton. “This little guy loves seeing all the kites and with all the activities they offer, he’s had a really great time. What’s not to love?”