WILDWOOD--It has been called one of the best places in the world for kite flying and this weekend, the skies in Wildwood will be painted with kites from all over. The 24th Annual International Kite Festival kicks off the summer season.

Sea creatures, ducks, devils and kites of all shapes and sizes pain the skies in Wildwood for the International Kite Festival now in it's 24th year.

Founder Roger Chewning said, "The event started as the largest of first ever sport kite competition in the world and it's grown into the biggest kite festival in the United States."

Organizers call Wildwood, the mecca for American kite flying due to the enormous beach, the wind and the participants.

"You have an impression in your mind when you hear the work 'kite' and you don't know what that is..and you come here and your mind is just opened up because the possibilities are endless." said Chewning.

Rio Grande, Kite maker Phil Broder says, For a lot of people they've never seen anything like this before, people come to enjoy the beach in Wildwood which is a great thing to do, but they dhow up and there's a 40 yard long green octopus."

With a weekend full of events scheduled, like the stunt kite championships, State and Local officials kicked off the season by unlocking the ocean initiating the start of summer.

New Jersey Secretary of State, Nina Mitchell-Wells said, "I'm totally breathless, looking at these kites, this is what makes New Jersey so unique and so special and so it's worth coming for events like this..."

"It's the start of the summer, so season the boardwalk is open, the rides are ready to roll, so we're just looking forward to a great 2009 summer season," said John Siciliano, Executive Director of the Wildwood Tourism Authority.

For more information about the events in Wildwood this weekend and this summer log on to www.wildwoodsnj.com


The beach has been officially unlocked, the summer season is underway..and now its to go fly a kite.