The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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  • School children fly kites at Autry Technology Center September 2009 in attempt to break the Guinness World Record for number of kites flown simultaneously. (Staff File Photo by CANDICE BUDGICK)

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March 11, 2010

World record kite attempt still up in air

By Joe Malan, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Brent Kisling says whenever he travels to other places in Oklahoma, the one thing people ask him the most is when Kites Over Enid 2010 will be and what will be involved.

The event this year is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 24-25 as a two-day affair, but what might not be involved this year is an attempt at a world record.

“I’m in a bit of a quandary,” said Stan Hicks, chief organizer of the event. “We’re struggling with whether Enid wants to attempt a Guinness record a second time.

“Part of the equation is we will need somewhere between 900 and 1,200 trained volunteers.”

During last year’s event, the first-ever Kites Over Enid, volunteers chiefly were school officials and teachers. They were responsible for counting the number of kites in their areas that were up in the air for at least 30 seconds.

The problem with using school teachers for volunteers this year, Hicks said, is the record attempt would take place on a Saturday.

Last year, the event was on a Thursday, a school day. School children from Enid and surrounding communities were transported in by bus to participate.

In order to compensate this year, Hicks believes Kites Over Enid will have to become a statewide affair, not just a regional thing.

“We have already determined if we do go for a Guinness record, it will have to be an all-Oklahoma event,” Hicks said, “meaning that we will need to draw people in from the entire state.”

Record or not, Hicks said he still is excited for this year’s event.

This year, there will be more professional kite flyers in town than last year showing off their unique kites.

“We will have some serious professional kite flyers here,” he said.

Hicks also is working to convince American Kitefliers Association to have its national convention in Enid in 2012.

That would bring anywhere from 500 to 600 people to Enid for a weekend.

“That would be significant (to the local economy),” Kisling said.

Kisling said there is a possibility there will be another wind forum this year in conjunction with the kite event, like the one last year.

“It’s in the planning stages at this point,” he said, “but we’ve not yet confirmed whether we’re going to do it or not.”

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