September 19, 2025

The ninth annual Kites Over Grinnell will be held on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ahrens Park Soccer Field at 1510 Penrose Ave.

This year, Kites Over Grinnell will honor the memory of long-time Rotarians Clem Bodensteiner and Dale Selix, who died earlier this year.

Kids who come to Kites will receive a ribbon honoring Bodensteiner and Selix.

Colorful kites by 15 members of the American Kitefliers Association (AKA) will dot the sky. Hailing from Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Pennsylvania, most of the kite-fliers have been here before and look forward to coming back, according to Sis Vogel who, with her husband Dick, both AKA members, have been instrumental in inviting the professional kite fliers year after year.

“They come back for the sheer joy of flying their kites and sharing the spectacle with a very appreciative crowd,” said Vogel.

Highlights of the event will include Sport Kite demonstrations and Kite Dancing, showcasing the skill and artistry of kite flying.

There is no entry fee for this event, but attendees are asked to bring a needed item to support the MICA Food Drive. Desired items include pancake mix and pancake syrup; canned meats, beans or soup; ramen noodles; cereal; rice; and peanut butter and jelly.

Music at noon will be sung at noon by vocal student Fiona Pierce.

The main attraction of Kites Over Grinnell is the opportunity to fly one’s own kite. Rotary Club will distribute 1,000 kite kits to kids at Bailey Park and Fairview elementary schools and the Grinnell Community Early Learning Center. Kites will also be distributed at Windsor Manor and Connections, formerly known as Station Clubhouse. Rotary encourages recipients of kite kits to put the kites together and fly them during Kites Over Grinnell.

Some kite kits will be available at Ahrens Park during the festival. And, of course, people can bring their own kites.

A Kite Hospital, operated by professional kite fliers, Rotarians and volunteers, will be open to help anyone needing to repair or put together a kite.

Free hot dogs, chips and water will be provided by the Rotary Club while supplies last. Those who would like to have a picnic can bring food and lawn chairs or blankets, find a space and enjoy the day.

Rotarians will be on the lookout for the “most colorful,” “most unusual” and “tinniest” kites and give out prizes. A grand prize will be reserved for “President’s Choice” kite.

If available, a fire truck, ambulance and police car will be at the park for spectators to view.

Through this family festival, Rotary hopes to give back to the community,” says Bruce Blankenfeld, coordinator of Kites.

Now in its ninth year under the auspices of the Grinnell Rotary Club, Kites was first introduced in 2002 by the late Rev. Dan Ogata, a retired local pastor who loved kite flying. The event was sponsored by the Grinnell Kiwanis Club, of which Ogata was a member.

In 2006, Ogata invited Dick and Sis Vogel to help organize the event. At its height, Kites drew some 2,000 spectators and 52 professional kite fliers from across the nation and Canada. In 2009, Kites became a three-day event. After a hiatus, Grinnell Rotary took over in 2016. There was no kite festival in 2020 because of Covid.

The 2025 Kites Over Grinnell is funded in part by the Grinnell College Mini-Grant Program, the City of Grinnell Tourism grant from the hotel and motel tax, and the many businesses who also sponsored Rotary’s annual chicken barbecue, the club’s only fundraiser. The venue is being provided by the Ahrens Park Foundation.

For more information, contact Bruce Blankenfeld at 641-990-1152.