NORTH TONAWANDA — Ted Shaw did not get into kite flying until his mid-50s, when he was going through a depressive state. What helped him get out of it was looking through a catalog of kites.
Now 78 years old and a member of the Great Lakes Kitefliers Society, the Lockport resident has made his own soft kites and inflatable kites to fly. He’s also attended several flying events on the East Coast and in Canada to enjoy his hobby with others.
“You look up instead of down when you’re outside,” Shaw said. “It just lifts your spirits — plus you’re holding the wind in your hands.”
That feeling has brought many members of the American Kitefliers Association to North Tonawanda and Niagara Falls this week as they hold their annual convention here. More than 100 kite fliers from the U.S., Canada, and other countries meet with other enthusiasts and take part in competitions over six days.
“It’s the most economical of any sport you can get involved in,” said Gary Engvall, who traveled with his wife from Rhode Island for the convention. “There’s something here for everyone, every pocketbook, and every availability.”
While the main flying events happen at Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda, the Niagara Falls Convention Center will hold events like an indoor kite competition and a kite art gallery.
Out in Gratwick Park, the fliers can compete in one of 14 different categories depending on their kite type. The majority are custom-made, with the various kite flying clubs taking part showing off where they are from.
Judges on the ground have the kites in the air for as long as they need to, judging the competitors based on how creative they were while flying them twice and the craftsmanship that went into the kite.
The winners, announced during a Saturday night banquet, receive a trophy and bragging rights.
“I don’t care if you take a plastic sack from the store and make a kite out of it, that’s a kite,” Engvall said. “If it flies, it’s a kite.”
The Great Lakes Kitefliers Society holds two monthly flying sessions at noon on the first and third Saturdays of the month.
Gratwick Park will also host the Fly Niagara Kite Festival on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the day after the AKA convention ends.