Kites bring kids outside in Naperville

Matt Brocato has never really been much into kite flying, but from the looks of it Sunday, his 3-year-old daughter, Lily, might be a different story.

Lily was all smiles as she steered a small dragon kite and, when her mother took over, even chased its shadow, during the Naperville Park District's 4th Annual Frontier Kite Festival at Frontier Sports Complex in Naperville.

Brocato said the festival is worth the 40-minute drive from his home in Schaumburg and allows Lily to get outside and have some fun.

"Not only that, but it's a way to interact with other kids, interact with parents, and the kids seem to be enjoying it," he said. "At least they've put down the PlayStation controller for a few hours and have gotten outside."

The Brocatos carved out a small space near the center of the field along with many other families who ranged in age and skill level.

While Lily's dragon rarely got higher than 10 feet, many others reached 100 feet and beyond. An expert skill ring hosted many professional kite fliers who swerved their kites in the ideal windy conditions.

Superintendent of Recreation Fred Gusel said this year's wind was perfect for the event, and a far cry from last year's windless day that disappointed attendees.

"It's just a sight to see," Gusel said of the kites. "We've been fortunate to have such good weather and cooperation from Mother Nature."

Several booths were set up and kids had several entertainment options as the day turned into a large carnival-type atmosphere. Live music played just north or the experts' ring.

On the far south side of the field, large floating kites drifted in the sky and included what looked like a parade float of Nemo the clownfish.

This was 5-year-old Trevor Arellano's favorite kite, he said, because of the colors. His father, Greg Arellano of Naperville, said the day was a good reason to get out of the house.

As he watched Trevor's "Iron Man" kite get tangled with another, he said the kites were a good tribute to the past.

"It's good to get people out here and get back to the way things used to be and not so electronic," he said. "It's a good event to get people together and get back to the basics. It's not just television and video games."