Naperville kite fest brings out all kinds of fliers

Rich Comras came to Chicago on business, but decided to take some time Sunday for a bit of pleasure.

The New Jersey resident brought his trusty quad-line kite to Naperville for the sixth annual Frontier Kite Fly Festival.

“Have kite, will travel,” Comras joked between sessions with his custom-made Revolution kite. “I saw that there were some festivals out here this weekend, and figured I had to come out.”

The festival, organized by the Naperville Park District, brought hundreds of people out to the Frontier Sports Complex on a sunny, warm and windy Sunday. The sky was packed with colorful kites, some of which were 90 feet long. Attendees also enjoyed the inflatable kids area and live music throughout the afternoon.

Comras, a longtime kite enthusiast, is a member of the Rev Riders kite-flying team, which is based in New England. He was introduced to the sport by a college roommate and hasn’t looked back since.

“It’s the control you have,” Comras said. “Being able to get a kite to twist and turn and move in the air with absolute precision is an amazing feeling. It’s ballet in the sky.”

Aurora resident Stacy Jorgensen and her 9-year-old son, Stephen, also enjoyed flying a kite on Sunday, even though they’re on the amateur side of the spectrum.

“He got this kite for his birthday in February, and this is the first real chance we’ve had to use it,” she said.

“We’ve had fun, it’s such a great day outside.”