Stella Iverson - Festival Manager

The Dixie Escalante Electric Kite Festival is a WONDERFUL family event and we are excited to be celebrating our 11th year. The Kite Festival is not just for little children, it is for people of all ages, especially for families, but most of all it is for YOU! We invite you to come, bring your own kite, or you can buy one at the Festival, or just come and watch the children as they fly the kite that they have earned. It is very rewarding to see the students turn in their reading charts for a kite or book.

The main purpose of the Kite Festival is an incentive program to promote reading that rewards the youth for completion of their reading charts. Qualifying students earn a high-quality kite or age appropriate book for their reading efforts. As an extra incentive we will award one iPod per elementary school as well as six (6) Laser Mania passes per school with a random drawing from the reading charts received. The winners will be notified within two weeks following the Kite Festival. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we have even more rewards for the students and teachers for the most reading charts turned in at the Kite Festival. Each year the Pizza Factory rewards elementary schools within the Washington County School District with a pizza party. This year we are also offering rewards to the teachers that work so hard to encourage students to read at home. Teachers, how about a cruise to the Mexican Riviera or other fabulous prizes?

The incentive began in January when the reading charts were delivered to the students in Washington County School District, giving them three months to complete their reading requirements. In March & April, Roger Echols, an employee of Dixie Escalante Electric, along with members of the Kite Festival Planning Committee held outdoor kite flying assemblies for the elementary schools. The demonstrations provided instructions on how to fly a kite and kite flying safety plus encouraging students to keep reading for a kite or book.

The Kite Festival is scheduled for April 17, 2010, from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, at the SunRiver St. George Golf Course. Parking, admission, entertainment, including the Cadillacs Concert and fireworks are all FREE to the public. Entertainment under the direction of local singer, Lenee Clark, will be continuous throughout the Festival. There will be singing, karate demonstrations, middle school Jazz exhibitions, and other entertainment for you to enjoy.

If you get hungry while watching the kites fly don't worry, several concessionaires will be available at the Festival to satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst. There will also be other concessionaires selling a variety of products. There will not be an ATM available, so please bring cash for these concessions.

Families with young children will be pleased to know there will be many booths set up especially for youngsters. Each year we have a Free Children's Games booth area that will have a variety of prizes and every child will be a winner. Dixie State College Students volunteer each year at the Free Children's Games and are ready to make the Kite Festival enjoyable, even for the youngest of participants. In addition to the free games there are $1 & $2 fees for children's activities such as bouncy toys, small train rides, and other rides.

The bottom line, of course, is the tremendous boost of extracurricular reading our local students complete and the additional funding provided to the schools for reading programs. The Washington County School Foundation is the designated recipient of any proceeds from the Festival. Last year, the Kite Festival donated $30,000, to the Foundation for the literacy programs.

Special thanks to all the sponsors, volunteers and the Kite Festival Planning Committee. With the sponsors' support, the volunteers and Planning Committee’s hard work, the Kite Festival has become one of the area's largest reading rewards program and one of the largest ongoing contributors to our local schools.

Come . . . bring a chair or blanket. . . shade . . . even a kite . . . and enjoy the day at the Dixie Escalante Electric Kite Festival. There is plenty to do and see for everyone!