Tim began flying kites around age five — long before the age of internet or electronic games — when his mother bought kites and balsa-wood gliders for the family. That early experience sparked a lifelong passion for flying. Over the years, his kites have become larger, and his gliders evolved into drones. Tim especially enjoys teaching children how to fly kites and introducing them to the joy of flight.
Kaeson has been flying kites for about ten years. Though this will be his first time at Okoboji, he already brings experience from cold-weather flying — including flying on a glacier at the Valdez Snow Kite Festival. To him, glacier flying is a truly unique experience that he encourages others to try if they get the chance.
Together, Tim and Kaeson have participated in kite festivals for many years, traveling coast to coast — including Alaska — and across the United States. One of their all-time favorite spots to fly is Washington State International Kite Festival at Long Beach. They try to make that festival a family event every year; their first trip there was nearly forty years ago.
Tim’s favorite kite tends to be his newest project, but he has a few that he brings to nearly every festival. Among them is a lightweight purple-and-white stingray kite that flies beautifully even in very light wind — ideal as a “lifter,” or striking on its own against the sky. Over the years, their kite collection has grown so large that Tim’s wife jokingly refers to it as “divorce-level.” Still, he loves designing, swapping, trading, and coming up with ideas for new kites. There is always something new in his kite bag for the next festival — and they expect to debut a couple of new designs at Okoboji.
In Alaska, they belong to the kite-flying group Alaskiters. They are active participants in local events and festivals and enjoy flying on many of Alaska’s beautiful beaches and wide open spaces. If you ever visit Alaska, they welcome you to check out the Alaskiters page on Facebook — someone in their club is almost always out flying and would be happy to share the sky with you.