Kevin Cole stands under his most prized possession, Crazy the Crab, at Lot 1 on the Hood River waterfront event site. Bristol Hospice will be hosting a kite festival at Lot 1 on May 18.
Kevin Cole with his kites at Lot 1 on the Hood River waterfront event site. On Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bristol Hospice will be hosting a kite festival.Noah Noteboom photo
Kevin Cole with Crazy the Crab preparing for the Bristol Hospice kite festival. On Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bristol Hospice will be hosting a kite festival on Lot 1 at the Hood River waterfront event site.
Kevin Cole stands under his most prized possession, Crazy the Crab, at Lot 1 on the Hood River waterfront event site. Bristol Hospice will be hosting a kite festival at Lot 1 on May 18.
HOOD RIVER — The Bristol Hospice of Hood River has organized a kite festival to honor friends and family members who have recently passed away. On Saturday, May 18 at the Hood River Waterfront event site and with the help of professional kite flyer Kevin Cole, more than 250 kites will be flown to honor all those who have passed away.
“We’re thrilled to host this event as a tribute to the lives we’ve touched and the community that surrounds us,” said Breanna Lind, executive director at Bristol Hospice. “It’s a day to celebrate life and the connections we share, while also reveling in the beauty of kite flying.”
Kevin Cole with Crazy the Crab preparing for the Bristol Hospice kite festival. On Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bristol Hospice will be hosting a kite festival on Lot 1 at the Hood River waterfront event site.
Noah Noteboom photo
Hospice Liason Thomas Keolker said two years ago, the butterfly release did not go as planned, so Bristol Hospice decided to go a different direction this year.
“I started thinking about what we could do. And I came up with this kiting event,” Keolker said. “There are other countries that celebrate past lives and people who’ve passed with using kites ... And as far as I know, there’s never been a kite festival in the Columbia River Gorge.”
Kevin Cole with his kites at Lot 1 on the Hood River waterfront event site. On Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bristol Hospice will be hosting a kite festival.Noah Noteboom photo
Keolker and Cole found a connection through the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM). Through conversations Keolker learned that Cole has traveled the country flying kites at festivals. Cole estimates he has around 50 kites in his arsenal. Some kites, like his manta ray named Patches, can reach lengths of over 45 feet. Although Cole said his longest one is a windsock that stretches 145 feet. Cole uses a New Zealand-based seller named Peter Lynn for his custom kites.
“He makes the kite that is going to last forever,” Cole said. “They fly well and are engineered well.”
Kevin Cole’s kites.
Noah Noteboom photo
Cole’s kites are not your average one-string kite. Each of his three-dimensional kites are built differently, but most have complex inner workings that help the kite keep its shape. Keiko, his Orca whale kite, is hollow on the inside, while Cole’s favorite kite, Crazy the Crab, must be sewn together from the inside with strings to make the crustacean.
Joining Cole at the May 18 celebration will be professional kite fliers Rod Thrall, Phil Burks, Steve Tipton, and Dave Welcher. The group will anchor their kites at the event site from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. During the first hour there will be a commemoration for those Bristol Hospice has served in the Columbia Gorge over the past two years.
There will be a local marimba band, music, food and a synchronized kite-flying performance. The event is located on Lot 1 at the Hood River waterfront event site and is free of charge. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own kites and picnic baskets. For more information on the event visit the Bristol Hospice Facebook page or contact Bristol Hospice at 541-386-1942 or thomas.keolker@bristolhospice.com.
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