February brings birds, snakes and voting to World Kite Museum

Published 4:00 pm Friday, February 1, 2013

LONG BEACH, Wash. The World Kite Museum offers a fun weekend of kite making Saturday, Feb. 16 through Monday, Feb. 18. Rod Beamguard of Vancouver, Wash., and Carveth Kramer of Taos, N.M., will guide participants through the steps necessary to create their own unique kite, John Freeman’s Bird on The Wire.

The late Freeman loved teaching others and was a master at designing unusual kites. This kite, 8 feet tall by 8 feet wide, was the last of his projects. The kite has been assigned to a commercial manufacturer and is currently undergoing work for possible commercial production, so it will never be taught again in a classroom setting. Participants will need to bring a sewing machine and normal sewing supplies. A large cutting mat will be helpful (3 by 5 feet or 4 by 8 feet). Course fees of $90 will include fittings, rods, lines, reinforcements and much-needed humor, as well as the museum fee. Class members will need to supply their own fabric and the museum will have some supplies available for purchase. There will be a potluck Saturday night. Contact Beamguard at 360-574-8050 or kytfevr@yahoo.com

Asian New Year occurs the second weekend in February. The upcoming year is the Year of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac, and the World Kite Museum will have an amazing collection of artifacts on loan from local collectors Mike and Mary Meloy. Visitors to the museum can participate in crafts and learn about the keen, wise, intelligent and cunning Snake. You can learn to write snake in Chinese calligraphy and create your own symbol that represents your name in the exhibit. The exhibit runs from Feb. 9 through March 15.

For the first time ever you will be able to vote on and help choose the winning artwork for the Washington State International Kite Festival poster. The entries will be on display at the World Kite Museum through Feb. 17. With your admission fee you get a ballot card to vote for your favorite and will be invited to come back and see the new poster debut with an exhibit showing the history of the Kite Festival Posters later in 2013.

The World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame is at 303 Sid Snyder Drive, and can be reached at 360-642-4020. For more information, fly over to www.worldkitemuseum.com